


I'm Not Letting Go

by ArrowOlicityLover



Category: Neighbours (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-17
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-05-14 10:57:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 86
Words: 260,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5741077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArrowOlicityLover/pseuds/ArrowOlicityLover
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is meant to be the happiest time of our lives, but I'm on the brink of losing you.</p><p>****</p><p>Paige and Mark's happiness it short lived when they suddenly find themselves thrown into the worst situation- Mark's fighting for his life as Paige struggles to cope with her world crumbling around her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Joy Before The Devastation

**Author's Note:**

> So I started this a few months ago (pretty sure this was an idea before they aired the Park engagement), but it's been on the back burner. I'll try to update it frequently for a bit, cause there's a lot to catch up on.
> 
> I just want to say, I do love the way that Mark proposed in the show. I absolutely adore the fact that he used something as deeply personal as the keyring. But I just couldn't get it out of my head that he would do it this way. And just like what the show does, happiness is always short lived, and there's usually angst in it's wake.

_This is meant to be the happiest time of our lives, but I'm on the brink of losing you._

There's that horrible sound, the one that paralyses me with fear. One continuous beep that only means one thing.

_Flatline_.

Nurses rush in & begin to resuscitate him. I’m in the way, I know I should leave… But I _can’t_.

Arms wrap around me, & I'm being pulled backwards.

“NO! _NO_!” I say, fighting to get free from whomever is pulling me out of his room.

Just as I’m pulled over the threshold & out into the corridor, one word words rips its way out of me in a deafening scream- “ _MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRKKKKKKK_!”

****

**24 hours earlier**

He can't stop kissing me- his hands on my hips, my arms wrapped around his neck. This, this is my happy place.

“Urgh, enough with the PDAs!” Aaron says.

We both part, both looking bashful.

“Sorry, Az,” I reply.

He shrugs. “I’m okay with it.” He smiles. “I just like to tease you two.”

Mark punches Aaron's arm as he passes us. Mark then turns his attention back to me.

“Are you free later?” He asks, rubbing my back gently. “This evening?”

I narrow my eyes. “What have you got planned?”

He smirks. “Come and you’ll find out.”

I raise my eyebrow. “That big a secret, huh?”

He smiles, leaning in for a kiss. “Yep.”

He kisses me, pulling me flush against me.

****

It's dusk when I return to the Brennan house. As I’m walking up the front steps, Aaron & Tyler come out.

“Oh, hey Brennans,” I say, surprised.

“Hey,” they both reply.

“Where are you off to?”

“Just the Waterhole,” Tyler says.

“Oh, cool. Have fun.”

“Thanks,” Tyler says. He steps down, stopping on the step beside me. “You have fun tonight too.”

“Thanks,” I reply, smiling. “You know what he's got planned?”

Tyler digs his hands into his pockets, the tell-tale sign he’s lying. “Nope, sorry.”

“That's okay.”

“But whatever it is, he said you should meet him in the backyard,” Aaron says.

“Okay…” I reply, wondering what's waiting for me. “Thanks boys.”

“You're welcome,” Aaron replies. “We should let you…” He points towards the front door.

I nod. “Bye.”

“Bye,” they both say.

I watch them head off down the driveway, before I turn and walk inside.

The lights are off, the large living and dining area lit by the small, flickering light coming through the back windows. I place my handbag on the kitchen bench and make my way out to the backyard.

When I step out, I see a path boarded by lit tealights in jars. I follow the path around the side of the house, the lines of candles widening at the paved dining area, now free of it's table, to form a large circle. And, standing in the heart in front of a picnic blanket and pile of cushions, is Mark.

“Hey,” he says, as I walk over to him.

“Hey,” I reply, pulling him in for a kiss.

“Had a good day?” He asks, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“Yes, it was slow at Harold’s.” I look around. “I see you had a good day too.”

“You like?”

“ _Like_?” I raise my eyebrow as I look at him. “Babe, it's _beautiful_! I love it!”

“Good!” He kisses me. “Because it took me a lot of careful planning to set it up without having a mess.”

I smile. “Well… I thank you _and_ your cleanliness for making such a romantic gesture.” I pull him in for another kiss- a slow, long tongue-dancing kiss.

“Well,” he says, lips barely apart from mine. “This is just the start.”

He guides me onto the picnic blanket, getting me to sit down. He then goes over to the BBQ & opens it- getting out food he put in there to stay warm. It takes a couple of trips (he refuses to let me help), but he lays out a spread of both hot & cold food on the blanket. He then retrieves two wine glasses & a bottle of wine in an ice bucket & brings them over. He places the bucket down & hands me a glass as he settles next to me.

“Wow,” I say. “This is… Amazing.”

He smiles, reaching for the wine bottle. “I’m glad you like it.”

I gently grab his chin & turn him to look at me. “I love it as much as I love you.”

I kiss him again.

****

After dinner, we lie down propped against the cushions. I’ve got one arm around behind her, as she leans her head against my chest.

She's talking, but I’m not listening. I can't help but think about how perfect it is right now. How perfect _we_ are. For the first time in a _long_ time- too long, to be honest- I'm truly happy. I haven't felt like this since… since… _Kate_.

And then it all clicks. I can picture my future- _really_ picture it.

And it's all with _her_.

“Marry me,” I say, softly.

“And I-“ She cuts off, realising what I said. She sits up slightly & looks at me, slightly confused. “Wait… _what?_ ”

I smile. “Marry me.”

Her jaw drops. “Are… Are you serious?”

I nod, smiling. “Very.”

She just stares at me. Then, with eyes brimming with tears, she smiles. “YES!”

I grin as I reach for her- cupping her face with both hands & pull her into a long kiss. She straddles me as we kiss, hands splayed on my chest & I drop my hands to slip under the bottom of her shirt.

****

**The next morning**

I wake to kisses on the back of my right shoulder. I open my eyes & he captures my lips with his.

“Mmm morning,” I mumble.

“Morning.”

I notice he’s dressed, & frown. “Where have you been?”

“I had to go pick up your gift.”

“My gift?” I ask, confused, through half closed sleepy eyes.

With a smile, he holds a small box up in front of me. I sit up. He turns his wrist, the box now resting in his open palm. I open the box & gasp. Inside is a beautiful silver ring- simple band that's embedded with a row of small diamonds leading up on both sides to a stunning silver flower that rises up from the band to form the centrepiece, diamonds line its petals, with a large diamond in its heart.

“Thought we should make it official,” he softly says.

“It's beautiful,” I reply. “But how did you get it?”

“Uh…” He raises his eyebrow. “The usual way.”

“I meant… You asking me last night was spontaneous.”

“I have a friend who owns a jewellery store. He owed me a favour, so I called him this morning and asked if he could open early. And I know it's a little… flamboyant, but… I like it. It's unique. Like you.”

“ _Awwww!_ ” I reply, looking at him. “I love it!”

We kiss.

“Put it on.”

“Oh, I’d rather you do the honours.”

He takes my ring out & places the box on his bedside table. He then gently holds my left hand, & slides my ring all the way down my ring finger. We kiss. I lie down as we do, pulling him with me so his body is on top of mine.

“Mmm,” he says, breaking the kiss. “Much as I’d _love_ to do that with my gorgeous fiancée… I can't.”

I pout. “Why?”

“You may have the day off, but I have to work.”

“Call in sick.”

“No.”

I pout bigger. “But I want to spend the day celebrating with my fiancé!”

“I can't.”

I whimper.

“Paige.”

“Stay.”

“No.”

“ _Staaay_.”

“Paige, I'm sorry.”

I furrow my brow & pout.

“I’m sorry, I have to work. But I promise you, tonight.”

“Tonight?”

“Mmmmhmmm.” He kisses my neck. “We’ll call it an early night.”

“Mmm,” I reply.

“And we'll celebrate,” he adds. “In here. Promise.”

I think it over for a few seconds. “Accepted.”

He smiles. “Good.” He kisses me. “Now, sleep. You’ll need the extra sleep because you won't be getting much tonight.”

“ _Ohhh_?” I reply, raising an eyebrow.

He gets up. I watch him change into his uniform. He then kisses me goodbye- several small kisses- & I watch him leave.

I drift off to sleep, unaware of the devastation happening mere hours later.

****

“Paige?” Aaron asks.

I groan, fighting the urge to wake.

“Paige?” He’s closer now.

I groan louder & longer. _Leave me alone!_

“Paige, come on. Wake up.”

I groan again, batting the air in his direction. _Just leave me be!_

“Please, Paige! We need to talk. It's important.”

“If I give in, will you leave me be to sleep afterwards?”

He hesitates. “If it gets you to talk… Yes,” he says. “But I don't think you’ll want to after you hear what I have to tell you.”

I sigh & open my eyes. I roll onto my back & sit up, holding the sheet against me since I’m naked. “What?”

“I’ve been trying to call you for an hour.”

“It's my day off. I wanted to sleep in.”

He notices the ring. “He proposed.”

“Yes. Last night. But he got the ring this morning.”

“Congratulations.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

“I’ll hug you later,” he says. “Don't want to…”

I nod. “Thanks.”

“I'm happy for you.” He smiles, but I see the sadness in his eyes.

“Okay, what's wrong?” I ask. “You say you’re happy, but there's sadness in your eyes. And why have you been calling me?”

He hesitates. “It's… Mark.”

I look confused. “He's at work.”

“No…” He hesitates. “He _isn't_.”

I narrow my eyes. “What is that supposed to mean?”

He hesitates, avoiding making eye contact.

“Aaron.”

“Just hear me out, okay? Don't interrupt, don't speak until I’m done. It's the only way I can handle telling you this.”

My breath catches in my throat. “Okay, you're freaking me out now.”

“Earlier, Mark was taking part in a raid,” he says. “The criminals ran off & he chased one.”

I smile. “Ever the hero.”

Aaron nods. “He caught up with the criminal &… I don't know exactly what happened, but his colleagues say they took a tumble off a second story balcony.”

I can't breathe. I try inhaling, but my chest is so tight I can't.

He holds my face in both hands, making me keep eye contact. “Listen to me, okay?” He says. “He's alive. Critical, but alive. So get dressed & I’m going to take you to the hospital.”


	2. The Fight For His Life Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so it begins...

I grab whatever clothes I first see, put them on, grab shoes and hurry out. I don't remember much of the car trip. Just that Aaron held my hand.

We find Tyler waiting- _pacing_ \- in the hallway. As we walk over to him, the door to the room he’s outside of opens & Karl leads several nurses & a gurney out. Karl's giving orders, but my eyes fall to the patient. And my chest tightens.

“ _Mark_!”

Karl looks at me, & then ushers the nurse to continue. We watch as the nurses wheel him away, I’m fighting the urge to rush after them, & Tyler steps over.

“I can't talk right now,” Karl says. “I need to be with Mark right now. But I will be back as soon as I can to explain.”

I nod & he rushes off.

Tyler pulls me into a hug. “He's going to be okay.”

I wrap my arms around him. “I hope so.”

****

I don't know how long we waited, my mind too focused on thinking about Mark as I stare at my engagement ring. Why can't we go back to this morning? Why couldn't he have just stayed home with me? He would be okay- _we_ would be okay- had he given in to my pleas.

Aaron nudges me, & I slowly turn to look at him. He points behind us, so I look- Karl is at the Nurse’s station. I leap up, sensing the boys following as I head for Karl.

“Karl,” I say.

He turns to us. “His MRI indicated that there was internal bleeding,” he replies. “We rushed him into surgery- that's where we were heading when you arrived- & I can say that they've got the bleeding under control.”

All three of us sigh in relief.

“And what about his arm?” Tyler asks. “You said it was injured? Possibly broken?”

“Ah, yes. An X-ray revealed that it's just a dislocation, & they were fixing it when I left,” Karl says. “He also has several broken ribs, all of which has been set.”

“When will he be out?” Aaron asks.

“I expect him to be moved into recovery any minute now,” Karl replies. “I’ll make sure they know to come & get you when he's allowed visitors.”

“Thanks, Karl,” Aaron replies.

“No worries.”

Karl walks off.

“Karl,” I say, following him.

“Paige,” he says, stopping & turning to me. “He's going to be okay. He's not out of the woods yet, but his surgery went perfectly. It's the best scenario.”

“No. Uh, that's not why I wanted to talk,” I reply. “I wanted to ask if it's possible… if I could see him as soon as he's in recovery? I know it's a lot to ask-”

“No, not at all, Paige,” he says. “I completely understand that you want to see him. I’ll see what I can do.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

He puts a hand on my shoulder. “He's strong. All you have to do is be there for him.”

****

I stand at his room’s door, currently shut, bracing myself for what I’ll find inside. A part of me wants me to leave, so I don't see his fragile state. But the rest of me longs to see him. I can do this.

I take a deep breath in, hold & then exhale. I then reach for the door handle & slowly open the door.

I freeze, hand still on the handle, when I see him. He's lying on his back, connected to several machines- heart beat monitor, _life support_. He's shirtless, a bandage wrapped around his chest, while his left shoulder is strapped, his left arm in a sling.

Fighting back tears, I cross to him. There's a bump on his left temple, a bruise on his right cheek & a cut on his lower lip. He's been through the wars.

I break down, tears streaming. I reach for his right hand, desperate to have physical contact. I feel how rough his hand is, so I look at it- bruised with several cuts across his knuckles. I can't help but smile- at least the criminal had injuries inflicted by my gorgeous fiancé. I lean forward & kiss his forehead.

“You're brave,” I say. “But this? This was reckless, Mark! You can't ask me to marry you & then do…” I gesture all over him. “ _This!_ ”

I sit down on the edge of his bed, unable to stand any longer. I take a couple of deep breaths.

“I just want _you_ ,” I say. “Okay?” I sniff. “I want you to come back to me. I want you to pull through this, & for us to celebrate our engagement… & for us to marry & grow old together. So you better _fight_ , Mark. Because I’m _not_ _done_ with you.”

I lean in & kiss his forehead. With lips brushing his skin, I whisper, “I love you.”

****

Aaron & Tyler soon join me. I’m sitting in a chair when they do, holding Mark’s hand.

“Geez, this is worse than that time he crashed his bike,” says Tyler.

I stare at him. Aaron hits him on the arm. Hard.

“ _Owwwwww!_ ” Tyler says, rubbing his arm. “What? Just stating the truth.”

“You could be a little more tactful,” Aaron replies.

“If it was either of us lying there, you’d know Mark would do the same.”

“If your positions were reversed, he’d be angry you’d gone & done something _stupid_ to land yourself in here.”

“He's right,” I add.

“How is he?” Aaron asks me.

“Same as he was when I came in,” I reply. “I guess that's good. At least he's not getting any worse.”

“He’ll pull through.”

I force a smile. “I hope so.”

“Hey,” he says, placing a hand on my shoulder. “He's got a lot to live for. Like your wedding.”

“Woah, wait!” Tyler says, hands raised. He looks from me to Aaron, back & forth a few times, his brow furrowed. “ _Wedding_?”

Aaron winces, turning to me. “He didn't know?”

I shake my head. “Didn't exactly think to tell him after we got here.”

“So… Uh… When did that happen?” Tyler asks.

“Last night,” I reply. “He didn't plan it. He just… Said it.”

“Well, I don't blame him for spontaneously asking,” Tyler says. “I mean, the last time he planned a proposal, she- _OW!_ ”

Aaron had punched Tyler's arm again, causing the other to glare.

“It's okay, I know about Kate. And how she died,” I reply.

“It's still _insensitive_ ,” Aaron replies, glaring at Tyler.

“I don't want you two to avoid talking about her,” I reply. “To consider her as an ‘off topic’ topic. She was a huge part of Mark’s life.”

“Noted,” Tyler says.

****

I can't take my eyes off him. Nothing has changed in all the hours I’ve been sitting at his side, but… I can't take my eyes off him. The colour in his face is still pale- such a striking difference to his perfectly tanned tone. Under the tubing for his life support machine, lies the man that I love in the most heartbreaking state ever. Broken & so… _vulnerable_.

The boys had left some time ago- Az for work, Ty to get a coffee from Harold’s. I can't pull myself away from him for longer than to go to the bathroom. As much as it's heartbreaking to see him like this, being here next to him is giving me the strength to get through this. Seeing him reassures me that he's going to pull through.

I can't help but think of how happy we were last night- even first thing this morning- when we were starting the next chapter of our lives. When the world was nothing but the two of us. _Oh, how happy we were!_

Last night I dreamt of our future- our wedding, the children we’ll have, growing old together. Everything we’d talked about last night. Nothing but joy & happiness. A far cry from this.

My thoughts drift to the image of Mark holding our first born- cradling such a precious little bundle in his strong, heroic arms.

I gasp & leap to my feet. I cover my mouth with my left hand to suppress the cry, tears threatening to tumble down my cheeks. We may never have the chance to have that now. My dream- no, _our future_ \- ripped from us in the _cruelest_ way possible.

I head for the door, feeling suffocated in here. But I stop with my hand on the handle. I brush aside those painful thoughts. _I have to stay strong. He will get through this!_

I close my eyes & breathe deeply- focusing on those happy thoughts as I pull myself together. I can't let myself fall apart. _I can't lose hope_.

I get out a tissue & dab away the tears. As I tuck it back in my handbag, I cross back to him.

_He's a fighter. He will get through this._

I brush my fingers through his hair, the way he loves it. I lean in close, barely holding back my tears.

“I promise that we’ll have our happy ending,” I whisper. “So you better fight to stay with me, Mark. Cause I can't do this alone. I can't have my happily ever after without my knight in shining blue armour.”

I close the gap, pressing a long kiss to his forehead.

My lips are brushing his skin as I pull back when the worst happens-

There's that horrible sound, the one that paralyses me with fear. One continuous beep that only means one thing.

_Flatline_.

A Nurse pushes me out of the way, to the end of his bed, as she & several others work on resuscitating him. I’m in the way, I know I should leave… But I _can’t_.

Arms wrap around me, & I'm being pulled backwards.

“NO! _NO!_ ” I say, fighting to get free from whomever is pulling me out of his room.

Just as I’m pulled over the threshold & out into the corridor, one word words rips its way out of me in a deafening scream- “ _MAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRKKKKKKK!_ ”

“Hey, hey, hey, shhh,” Tyler whispers in my ear. I realise he's the one holding me.

Tears streaming down my face, I stop struggling to break free. He lets me go.

“They can save him faster without you in there,” he says.

I nod. “I know. I just-”

“Couldn't move?”

I sigh, nodding.

He wraps an arm around my shoulders. “It's hard, but he's not giving up.”

I inhale, slowly. “He's… He's scaring me.”

“He's fighting for his life,” he replies. “Not an easy fight.”

Before I can reply, the Nurses come out, pulling Mark’s bed with him- one still doing compressions. There's nothing Tyler & I can do but stand where we are & watch.

I clasp my hands over my mouth. _Please don't die!_

I feel dizzy, knees buckling. I drop, but Tyler catches me.

Everything turns to black.


	3. The Strength Of A Family, The Fighter & The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mark's loved ones gather, Tyler & Aaron make the ultimate gesture to save their brother. And the truth about exactly what happened to lead them all there comes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Introducing two original characters this chapter. Not going to hide their names, given I put them in the character list- Mavi Halstead and Erin Brennan.
> 
> Enjoy :)

I open my eyes, expecting to be in his bed. In his arms. Instead, I'm greeted with the hospital ceiling. And it all comes crashing back. I roll onto my side as I close my eyes tight- _make this all go away!_

"Paige?" Tyler asks.

His concerned tone makes me open my eyes. He's near me, his worriedness etched on his face. I push myself up, realising I'm lying on an examination table. I look around, quickly identifying it as Karl's office.

"Uh... you fainted," he explains. "Karl told me to bring you in here."

"Mark?" I mumble.

"Karl's gone to check what's happening. He should be back soon." He hands me a cup of water. "Drink."

I take the cup & have what I intended to be a sip, but as soon as the cool water enters my mouth, I realise how thirsty I am- so I down the whole cup in several gulps.

The door opens & Karl enters, shutting it before he crosses to us.

"How are you?" He asks me.

"Fine. Mark?"

Karl looks concerned for a moment, but choses to reply rather than push me. "He's now stable."

I glare at him.

"When he was admitted, he had a couple of broken ribs. While they fixed them, they discovered that another rib, the fourth, was fractured," Karl says. "At the time, they deemed it safe enough to not touch it. They didn't consider it a deep enough fracture to be a risk."

"But... Now?" Asks Tyler.

"Your ribs move with every breath. It's that movement that allows us to actually breathe," Karl replies. "The movement, combined with a far more serious fracture to his fourth rib, has resulted in that rib completely breaking. One half fell inwards, puncturing his aorta."

I gasp. "Oh my god."

"The puncture led to internal bleeding, which made it difficult for him to breathe. The blood loss also impacted heavily," Karl says. "They rushed him back into surgery & were able to successfully close the puncture."

Tyler & I both sigh.

"As for the rib, that's currently being reset as we speak. He's lost a lot of blood from all the injuries, but he's stable now."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Well, actually there is, Tyler. We're currently using blood from our blood bank, but if you were to donate, that would be very helpful. You can say no."

"I offered to help. I'm happy to do anything if it gives him a fighting chance."

"That's very generous of you, Tyler," Karl says. "Thank you."

Tyler shrugs. "He's my brother. I'd do anything for him."

****

"Hey," Tyler says.

I look up from Mark to him. "Hey, how did it go?"

"Good. Donated as much as I could," he replies. "Or as much as they'd allow. I'd bleed myself dry to save him if I could."

"Well, I'm sure he'd appreciate it, no matter the amount."

He nods. "I called Az while I went down there. He came back & is currently donating too."

"Awww! Mark's lucky to have you two."

Tyler smiles a little. " Family has to stick together."

I nod. "Indeed they do."

"You're a part of our family too."

"Not yet," I reply. "Officially still Paige Smith."

"You've been a part of our mildly crazy family for a while, Paige. You may not have our surname yet, but you're family."

"Who are you and what have you done with Tyler?" I tease.

He smiles, chuckling.

I stand up & hug him. "Thank you," I whisper as we hug.

"You're welcome," he whispers back.

****

"Look who I found," Aaron says as he enters, carrying four takeaway coffees in a holder. Behind him is Tyler's girlfriend, Mavi Halstead.

"Hey," Mavi says, giving me a sympathetic smile. Tyler catches her off guard with a hug that cause her to lose balance & take a step back. "Oof! Nice to see you too, babe."

"I missed you," he says.

"I haven't been gone that long. You saw me yesterday."

"Well, today has proven that disaster can strike any day."

Mavi nods. "How is he?"

"Stable," I reply. "For now."

"Aaron told me about the two surgeries," she replies. "He's going to pull through. I'm sure you've heard that heaps today, but it's true. He's a tough one. A really strong fighter. I know, I went up against him once."

We met Mavi five months ago, in rather... Unusual circumstances. The garage was broken in to- Tyler's beloved bikes were taken (Ben hadn't locked up properly, so really it was easy to 'break in') as well as various tools. With help from Mark & myself, Tyler had found the robber- _Mavi_. Upon trying to bring her in for questioning, she fought back. Tyler  & I watched as she & Mark went hand-to-hand in a fight. Mark held his ground & eventually got the better of the fiesty youngster. For that, she was held in custody overnight, charged with assaulting a police officer & resisting arrest. Mark asked Tyler if he wanted to press charges for the robbery. But the youngest Brennan had become smitten with the thief & practically _begged_  his big brother to drop _all_  charges.

And so the love story began. She returned everything (we'd tracked her down before she could sell anything) but Tyler was more interested in getting to know her better than he was having his bikes back. She didn't take to him at first, but started coming to Harold's on a regular basis clearly just to cross paths with him & if that's not love, I don't know what is. Weeks later, she agreed to go on a date, & they've now been dating three & half months.

"Oh, uh..." Mavi says, pulling me from my thoughts. "I thought you'd all like something to eat & drink. So I stopped by Harold's & got coffees & muffins."

"Ohhh, thanks!" I reply.

"You're welcome," she replies, smiling. "Lauren said she's thinking of all of you, & she'll visit after she closes."

"I'll text her soon," I reply. "Update her on him."

Mavi nods. "She'll appreciate that."

I stand as Aaron puts the coffees down on the table at the end of Mark's bed, & Mavi gets the bag of muffins out of her handbag.

"Lauren marked our initials on the lids so we know which is which, in case they got mixed up on the way here."

"Ah, clever," Tyler says, picking his up.

"That's Mum for you," I reply. "Always thinking of those things."

****

It's early evening when Mum arrives. No change in his condition. She notices me absentmindedly twisting my engagement ring while we talk, & I tell her about his proposal last night. She's happy for us, telling me he'll wake up soon. She says hello to Tyler, Mavi & Aaron who had left briefly, before leaving, offering to get us whatever we needed if we wanted.

Half an hour later we get a surprise visitor- Erin, the infamous Brennan sister. Mavi & I haven't met her till now.

"I came as soon as I could," she says.

"You're here now," Tyler says with a smile. "That's what counts."

She nods. "Oh, & congratulations Paige!"

"Thanks," I repky as we hug.

"I just wish I was saying it to both of you, not standing here in the hospital while my big bro fights for his life."

"Well, we'll have a huge party when he gets out."

"Knowing you, it will be _massive_ ," Tyler teases.

"Ha ha," I reply.

"So... Do we know what happened?"

"They've only told us that he was chasing a criminal & they fell from a balcony," Tyler replies.

"And how is the crim?"

Tyler shrugs. "Dunno."

Aaron crosses his arms. "Why do you ask, Erin?"

"Well... just curious. In case we decide to sue."

"I don't think it will come to that," I reply.

"If he has a serious, long term injury from this, or he, God forbids, dies... I just want us to be prepared, to cover all bases."

"Who would you sue?" I ask, curious.

"The crim... & maybe the AFP for putting him in such a dangerous position."

"He's a cop. Dangerous situations come with the territory."

"Okay, okay. Let's not argue," Aaron says.

****

Soon enough, another surprise visior arrives- Senior Sergeat Frost, Mark's boss.

"We'll do whatever it takes to support you, regardless of the outcome of this," Frost says. "He's one of our finest officers."

"Thank you, Senior Sergeant," I reply.

"I also came to give you several updates. The first is we now know exactly what happened in the minutes before the accident."

Aaron, Tyler, Mavi & Erin step closer.

"We've been trialling having cameras on our officer's vests, to better document their work, especially when incidents like this happen."

"And of course Markie volunteered for it," Erin says.

Frost nods. "He was wearing one today. It's taken a lot of effort from our tech team to recover the footage due to damage the camera suffered from the impact of the fall, but they were able to recover it, remarkably mostly in tact."

"So what happened?" I ask. "Last we heard, it was a raid, he chased one of them, caught up... & they ended up falling from a second story balcony."

"That's roughtly what happened," Frost replies. "He did chase after & catch a man that was attempting to flee our raid. The suspect & Mark fought. This led onto an exterior balcony, which was actually three stories up."

I gasp, swaying from shock. Aaron holds me up.

"The suspect ended up falling over the railing. Mark caught him, & only just managed to get his radio in order to call for back-up."

"That explains how the officers knew where to find them," Tyler says.

"Mark did a remarkable job trying to keep the suspect from falling... _However_ , the building is very old, & unfortunately the railing & part of the balcony gave way under the strain of the two men's weight. This is how both fell."

"What about the suspect?" I ask. "How is he?"

Frost hesitates. "Despite doctor's best efforts, his life support was turned off half an hour ago," Frost says. "He's no longer with us."

Silence fills the room.

"Mark's efforts to rescue him were heroic," Frost says.

I smile weakily. "He's always a hero," I reply, twisting my engagement ring from side to side.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise the next one won't be quite so sad! Big things happen!


	4. Without You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paige faces the reality of a surprise, & grapples with the possibility of a future without the love of her life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this isn't the chapter I promised in the notes of ch 3. Realised I needed to add in a sub-plot I had neglected in my handwritten draft. So here it is.
> 
> You'll want at least a box of tissues within reach. Possibly chocolate or whatever comfort food you prefer. This one is super emotional. I bawled my eyes out writing the last few scenes.
> 
> You have been warned!

I didn't expect I’d start the day after his accident sitting on the floor of my bathroom, huddled up against the toilet trying not to throw up for the third time. But that's exactly how it went down.

I groan, hating the war raging within me. I’d sleepily left my bed and had gone to have the breakfast Mum had made. I barely made it through five mouthfuls before the nausea was too much and I rushed to the bathroom, where I shut the door and went straight to the toilet. The first batch of vomit appeared seconds later.

I’d convinced myself that I was fine, so I flushed the toilet, washed my hands, cleaned off my lips and took one- one- step out the door before I could feel more brewing. So I spun on my heel and rushed back in, shutting the door and barely getting back to the toilet.

After that, I’d conceded defeat and settled on the floor. I grip the edge of the toilet bowl, bracing for more vomit, but… Nothing.

“Sweetie?” Mum’s voice comes from the door. “Are you okay?”

All I can do is groan. _Loudly_.

The door opens and Mum comes in. She sits on the floor beside me, and tucks my hair behind my shoulders out of the way.

“How long have you been feeling like this?” She asks.

“Just this morning,” I reply. “It's just stress.”

She gently rubs my back. “Are you sure?”

I look at her, confused.

“I'm just saying… It might be something else. Nausea is a sign of several things.”

I lean forward- false alarm. “Like what?”

“Well...” She says. “Once, I was in this position. Couldn't keep my food down, kept feeling nauseous for days. I didn't have a temperature, which ruled out a cold. And then certain foods would make me feel nauseous, while I was wanting to eat food that I normally wouldn't.”

“And what was it?” I mumble, head over the toilet bowl.

She doesn't reply for a minute. “I was… Having you.”

I slowly turn to look at her. “I'm _not_ pregnant.”

“The signs are there, darling.”

“It's just stress.”

“It might be, but… I wouldn't be so quick to rule everything else out,” she says. “If you don't mind me asking… When was your last period?"

“I’ll have to check.”

“Your phone, right?”

I nod. She stands & exits, returning a few minutes later. She sits down & hands me my phone. I take it, bringing up the app I use to keep track of it. And hang my head.

_Thirteen days late._

****

I nervously pace the bathroom- waiting for the home pregnancy test to give the results. Mum had gone & got one for me. I asked her to wait with me- I can't deal with finding out on my own. Not today. _Since when did three minutes tick by this slowly?_

“It's going to be alright,” Mum says from the doorway.

“But what if it isn't? What if I’m pregnant & then I lose him?” I reply, barely holding back tears. “I _can't_ do this without him.”

She crosses to me, holding my arms. “He's going to be fine. And you won't be doing it alone, even if Mark doesn't make it. I’ll be here.”

I nod & she pulls me into a hug.

Then my mobile buzzes- it's time to check the test. We part, & I hesitate. _Do I really want to know?_

Mum puts an arm around me & gently squeezes my arm. “Let's look together.”

I take a deep breath in, hold, & slowly exhale. I nod. Together we step over to the sink, where the test is sitting near my mobile.

****

**Three days later**

I can't get the pregnancy test result out of my mind. Maybe it's a false positive. Maybe the stress of possibly losing Mark has affected the test. And maybe I’m just scared that I could potentially be raising our kid without Mark, that our kid won't know their father, & that's driving me to be _absolutely sure_.

I asked Karl if he could do a test. He said it would be better to wait a few days, in case my hormones were affected by the stress. He recommended I do what I can to keep as calm as possible. That was three days ago.

Karl slips into Mark’s room. I’m in there on my own, Tyler & Aaron have returned to work.

“Hey, Paige,” he says.

“Hey,” I replied.

“I just wanted to check to see if you still want that test done. If it is just stress, it will have returned to normal levels by now & you’ll have a more accurate reading.”

I nod. “I want it.”

“Okay. Well, if you come with me to my office, I’ll draw some blood & get it tested.”

I stand & we leave.

****

That evening, I sit beside Mark, holding his hand. They've kept him in a medically induced coma ever since the second surgery. I just want him to be okay.

I lean in close to him & whisper, “Just come back to me.”

There's a knock on the door & it opens a second later- Karl.

“Hi, Paige.”

“Hey.”

“I have your results. Shall we go to my office?”

“Actually… If you don't mind, can we do it in here? They say coma patients can hear what people are saying around them. And if he doesn't make it…” Tears threaten to run down my cheeks, & I look at Mark. “I want him to have the chance to hear this.”

Karl nods. “Of course. He has every right to know.” He walks over, standing at Mark’s other side. “Before I begin to talk you through the results, may I ask you something?”

I nod.

“Which outcome are you hoping for?”

This throws me. “Uh…”

“I don't mean to pry. It's just… You seem a little tense about it.”

“I just… Wasn't expecting we’d be starting our own family so soon. I’m just not sure I’m ready to be a mother right now. Even more so if I don't have Mark there.”

“It's understandable to be worried like that. It's a big step to take. But know that no one is ready for the challenges of being a parent. That's the beauty of it- learning as you go along. I have a long list of mistakes I made with my children, just ask Susan. You just have to trust your instincts. And you have a very loving community on Ramsay Street. You have Lauren, Brad, Terese, Sheila, Sonya, Toadie, Susan & myself who have all had experience as parents.” He chuckles. “Even Paul. We're all here to give advice whenever you need it. You may feel unprepared, but you have nine months to prepare.”

I look from Mark to Karl, as I realise what he just said. “Does that mean…?”

He nods. “Your test came back positive.”

I burst into tears. Karl comes round to comfort me.

“I'm sorry,” I say, wiping away tears.

“Don't be. I know you're scared. Your faced with the challenge of being a single mum. I watched Libby go through that. She lost her husband after an accident.”

“And how did she do it? Raise Ben on her own?”

“She had me & Susan. The way you have Lauren & Brad. And you have Tyler & Aaron, as well as Imogen, Piper & Josh. And Amber. She'll give you advice.”

I wipe away more tears. “Thanks, Karl.”

“Always happy to talk.”

I force myself to smile.

“May I give one more piece of advice?”

I slowly nod.

“You're scared now, but trust me. All of the fear & worry you feel now… It all disappears when you hold your little one in your arms for the first time.”

****

I went to his place to sleep, needing to be surrounded by his scent. I pull on one of his t-shirts, loving how it just hangs loosely over me. I stare at myself in the mirror, & find myself turning to stand side-on. I grab another of his shirts, & stuff it up the one I’m wearing to form a bump over my stomach. I stare at it in the mirror, imagining that it's the real bump I’ll have in nine months. Wearing his shirt as a dress while heavily pregnant looks remarkably good. Will have to do it in nine months. See what he thinks.

And that's when it all crashes. Thoughts of going through this on my own, _without_ _him_ , flood my mind. And it's all too much.

I force the shirt out, tossing it aside & throw myself onto the bed. I curl up in a ball & let the tears fall.

_I can't do this without you, Mark._

I cry myself to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise Chapter 5 will be happier! (& I mean it this time!!!)


	5. 7:45 AM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It all takes a turn at 7:45 AM...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But it's not what you think! ;)

It's evening, five days after his accident. Five days of being in a medically induced coma, five days for his body to heal. They just took him off the ventilator & he’s breathing on his own. Karl says that's good- he’ll be able to be brought out of his coma soon. And I can have my gorgeous fiancé back.

Not many people know about our engagement. Just Aaron, Tyler, Mavi, Erin and of course Mum & Dad. Everyone else has no idea. I can’t bear to tell them when Mark’s in here fighting for his life. Besides, it’ll give us something really positive to share with all our friends when this is over.

And then there's the other news. _I'm pregnant_. The nausea is getting easier. Karl checks in on both of us regularly, and Mum drops in with food. But all I want is for Mark to wake up, so we can go home.

I subconsciously gently rub my lower tummy, closing my eyes. Now that the shock has passed, I'm happy that I'm pregnant. I’m still scared that Mark may die, but I know that our little one will carry on his legacy. That Mark will always be with me. Our little one will know how heroic their dad was, I’ll make sure of it.

But I won't have to. Because Mark is going to get through this. I’m going to be able to tell him our news, we can look forward to meeting our little one & our wedding. And Mark will be the best dad ever.

I open my eyes, looking down at my tummy, which I’m still rubbing.

“We're going to get through this,” I softly say. “All three of us.”

****

A week after the day of the accident, Karl says Mark’s scans are showing improvement- so much, he’s confident they can start bringing him out of his coma. I’m so happy when he tells me, I cry. They begin that very afternoon- I watch on from out in the hallway. Karl comes out to me as the Nurses finish.

“It will take some time, anything from a few hours to even a day, sometimes more, for the drugs to wear off,” he tells me. “Each case is unique.”

I nod. “Just being at this stage is enough.”

He nods. “He's definitely fought hard. But it's not over yet.”

“I know. I can't wait to put this behind us.”

“Normally they frown upon visitors staying after visiting hours,” he says. “But given our current situation, I’ll put a request in on your behalf for you to be allowed to stay on overnight.”

I look at him. “Is that even possible?”

He nods. “In rare cases, they allow it. I think Mark has well & truly proven to be worthy,” Karl says. “After everything, the best sight for him to wake up to is you.”

I smile. “Thanks, Karl.”

“You're welcome.”

He walks off & I turn back to look at Mark through the window. I smile. _Soon I’ll see you smile._

****

It's eerily quiet at 10pm, with all the visitors gone. Karl is on the late shift, so he's around & on call if I need him.

I’m sitting where I usually am, hand holding his as I wait for him to wake. But it's late & I’m exhausted. I fight sleep, but I find myself yawning. So I lay my head on his arm facing our entwined hands. I focus on our hands as I fall asleep.

****

**7:45 AM**

I stir as I feel light pressure on my hand. I open my eyes, focusing on my hand that's still entwined with his. His fingers are twitching- the first sign of movement since his accident.

I bolt up & look at his face, hopeful that he's finally waking. He's breathing heavier than in the coma, the way he does when he's about to wake. And his eyes are moving under his eyelids. I stand, leaning over him slightly as I keep hold of his hand.

“Come on, Mark,” I whisper, placing my other hand on his forehead, fingers playing with his hair.

His eyes open halfway- drooping shut & then opens as he struggles to fully wake. I hold my breath, waiting for the moment when I can lock eyes with his beautiful, brown eyes. And he doesn't keep me waiting too long. His eyes lock with mine & I exhale in relief as we smile.

“Hey,” he says, voice croaky.

“Hey,” I reply.

I kiss him- _oh how I’ve missed the taste of his lips!_ When we stop, I rest my forehead against his. He rubs his nose against mine.

“I almost lost you,” I whisper.

“ _Almost_ ,” he whispers back. “Did you really think I wouldn't fight to come back to my fiancée?”

“You could have been forcibly taken. Your injuries-”

He cuts me off with a kiss. After the kiss, I pull back & sit down on the edge of his bed- still holding his hand, which is now resting on my lap.

“All week I’ve wanted nothing more than to curl up in your arms in your bed,” I say. “Instead, I’ve been here watching you fight for your life.”

“Well, when I get out of here, that's what we’ll do,” he replies, with a gentle squeeze of my hand. “I want to celebrate our engagement.”

I nod. “It's been so hard… Keeping it a secret.”

“You didn't have to.”

“I didn't want to rob you of the joy of telling everyone.”

“Much as I appreciate that, know that I would understand if you did tell everyone,” he says. “If it meant giving you something happy to think about.”

I force a smile. Now would be a good time to tell him I’m pregnant…

“So does anyone else know? I’m sure Lauren has figured it out.”

“Actually… She caught me twisting my ring around, absentmindedly playing with it, the day of your accident,” I reply. “So I told her.”

He nods. “And what about the rest of our families?”

“Dad knows. So does Erin, Tyler, Mavi & Aaron.”

“Good.”

“Az… Was the first to know. He tried calling me, to tell me about you, but I was asleep. So he came & got me. He noticed my ring before he told me what had happened to you.”

He smirks. “So observant.”

I nod. “I haven't told anyone else.”

“Well… We can start that now.”

“Oh, and Karl. I kinda had to tell him. It's why I'm even here this early.”

He smiles. “Special treatment, huh?”

I nod. “But it's a one time deal. Don't go falling from a third storey balcony ever again.”

He smirks. “I won't. Can't wait to tell everyone we’re getting married.”

“When you're not lying in a hospital bed.”

He smiles.

The door opens & we both look. Karl enters.

“Ah, you're awake! Good!” Karl says. “How are you?”

“Sore all over, some mild pain in a few places, but assuming it would be worse if I didn't have the morphine drip,” Mark replies.

“That's good to hear. How long have you been awake?”

“Only a couple of minutes,” I reply.

“Good, good. I’d uh… Like to check you over, make sure there's no signs of any brain damage.”

Mark nods. “Sure.”

Karl examines him- asks him some basic questions (name, where he is, etc.) then shines a light in his eyes to check his pupil reactions. Finally he checks his hands & feet.

“Passed with flying colours,” Karl says. “You're lucky.”

“Extremely lucky,” I add. “Your body's been through enough damage this week.”

“So, Doc,” Mark says. “How much longer before I can go home?”

“Well… You’ll need to have some scans done, to see how your injuries are healing, in particular your ribs, but best outlook… You’ll have to stay for tonight, for observation, & then be released tomorrow. Just because you're not showing any signs of brain trauma now, doesn't mean you won't. Sometimes it can be late to appear.”

“I can't wait to get home.”

“Yes, hospitals aren't as comfy as our own beds.”

Mark smiles, eyes falling on me & I know that's not what he meant.

“I’ll go book those scans,” Karl says. He looks at me. “I’ll let you notify the others he’s awake.”

I nod.

Karl looks at Mark. “It's good to have you with us again.”

“Thanks, Karl.”

Karl leaves. Mark turns his attention back to me & smirks.

I frown. “What?”

“One more night,” he replies, still smirking. “And then I can sleep with you.”

“Easy there, tiger,” I reply. “We're going to take it easy.”

He pouts. “We never got to celebrate our engagement.”

I raise an eyebrow. “And whose fault is that?” I tease.

“Oh, come _on!_ Don't make me beg!” He half whines. “Not when I’ve been in a coma, fighting for my life!”

“I think that _gives_ me a reason to do that.”

He gives me a pleading look, eyes burning with lust.

****

The next day, just like he said, Karl gave him the all clear. He gave Mark tablets of pain medication, insisting that he “takes it easy”. Mark agreed, but I could tell immediately that he had no intention to. He's developed a very cheeky side.

****

The house is empty when we arrive at his. Tyler & Aaron are working, though they dropped in yesterday to the hospital to see him.

“We’ve got the house to ourselves,” he says with a slight smirk.

“You're meant to be taking it easy,” I reply, placing my handbag on the kitchen bench.

He steps up behind me, hooks one arm around my waist to hold me flush against him & pulls my hair aside to expose the right side of my neck, letting my hair fall over my left shoulder. He leans in, till his lips brush my exposed neck.

“Stop denying that we do what you & I have both been longing to do since I put that ring on your finger,” he whispers, his hot breath on my skin, causing me to inhale sharply from the pleasure shooting through me.

He chuckles & then kisses my neck repeatedly, his hands slipping under the bottom of my shirt. I moan, reaching back & digging my fingers into his scalp.

I try resisting, but the combination of pregnancy hormones & not having him for just over a week makes it impossible to resist for long. I need the taste of his lips! I grip his hair, pulling him roughly off my neck & send them crashing into mine as I look over my shoulder.

He pulls back & I chase his lips, turning in a circle because he steps to my left just as I turn right. He takes my hand, pulling me down the corridor towards his bedroom. But he stops halfway, pinning me to the wall. He cups my face with both hands. His eyes drop from my eyes to my lips, stay there a ling minute till he bites his lips & looks back into my eyes. In a blink, he's kissing me, hungrily from the lack of kisses over the past week as his left hand drops & slips under my shirt.

As our kiss gets rougher, we strip down to our underwear. He slips his right hand between my legs & rubs his hand over my undies. He kneads with the heel of his hand hard over my clit, making me gasp.

He smirks, rubbing me more. The pleasure is so intense, I feel my legs begin to tremble. Just when I feel my legs give out, he lifts me up & I wrap my legs around his waist. He pins me to the wall, his body pressed against mine as he sucks my neck. I rub my clit against his erection, causing him to groan against my neck. He unclasps my bra, slipping it off & tossing it aside. He has to lower me to strip off my undies. He spreads my legs a little wider, looking up at me as he kneels. He rubs three fingers through my folds, making me moan. Then he slowly slides his tongue deep through my folds, the pleasure is so intense I nearly orgasm straight away. He continues to tease me, licking slowly through my folds. He then flicks my clit with his tongue, & I cry out. My legs buckle but he grabs hold of my thighs to keep me up.

“Please, Mark,” I whisper.

He teases me more before rising, pinning me to the wall with his body as he claims my lips. I tug his boxers down, sending him a clear message of what I want. He lifts me up once more, my legs wrapping around his waist. He then pushes inside me, causing me to moan as he slides all the way in. I’ve missed him _soooo_ much!

It feels _so good_ making love to him. For the last week, I feared I’d never get to do this ever again. So I hold him close, fingers digging into his back as we kiss & he thrusts deep into me.

We make love in the corridor, even though one of his brothers could come home & see us. It feels so good. I can feel it coming, the building of the pleasure, getting closer to the proverbial cliff. So I push my hips forward, changing his angle of penetration to hit just the right spot deep within me.

I cry out, my whole body shaking as I orgasm. And then his hits & we both cry out from the pleasure. We both pant as we come down. He rests his forehead on mine.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to rip those noises from you,” he says. “And there's a _lot_ to catch up on.”

“You're supposed to be-” I reply, before he thrusts once into me. “ _Ohhhhh!_ ”

“I’m not taking it easy.”

“You end up back in hospital because you’ve aggravated one or more of your injuries, you can have this ring back.”

“No you won't. You love it as much as you love me.”

“I nearly lost you too many times over the last week, if you add one more I will.”

“I want to see that,” he says between kisses to my neck.

“Stop!”

He pulls back & stares at me. “For the last week I’ve not been able to touch, to hold, to kiss, to make love to my gorgeous fiancée,” he says. “So just for today, let me break all the rules.”

I stare at him, deciding what to do. Before I really know what I’m doing, I’m pulling him in for a rough kiss. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight against him & then carries me into his room. Every step makes me moan, for he’s still inside me.

He kicks his door shut, before carrying me over to his bed. He lays me on my back & makes love to me over & over. Being pregnant makes it even more pleasurable. We continue making love until we're both too tired. I fall asleep against his chest.

_This is my happy place._


	6. Just The Three Of Us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this is incredibly short but 1) the next chunk works best all in one chapter and 2) a few of my friends are keen for an update so I feel like I should just post what I have. Besides, there's a lot of emotions in this, so it's best to keep it short, anyway...
> 
> Enjoy!

I wake, blinded by the low sunlight streaming through the open blinds. I’m cuddled up against his right side, head resting on his chest, his right arm wrapped around me, keeping me close, & our legs entwined.

  
He kisses my forehead, & I instinctively push into his lips. He then nuzzles his nose into my hair.

  
“I’ve missed you _sooo_ much,” he whispers into my scalp.

  
“I’ve missed you too,” I whisper back.

  
He lifts up my left hand, which had been resting on his abs, holding it in the air so he can look at my ring. I sit up slightly, resting my chin on his chest as I look at him.

  
“What are you thinking about?”

  
“Just that I seem to be cursed,” he replies. “Every time I propose, disaster always strikes straight after.”

  
“Okay, you’ve been engaged twice,” I reply. “And you can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

  
He sighs. “But Kate-”

  
“Hey,” I say. “She died because a guy was seeking revenge on Paul for killing his brother. You proposing just before it was just chance.”

  
“And what about now?”

  
“Also not your fault,” I reply. “You were doing your job. And you were trying to save him. You weren’t to know that the balcony would collapse.”

  
Tears swell in his eyes. I sit up more, cupping his face with both hands.

  
“You’re _not_ to blame,” I say. I kiss him. “You’re _not_ to blame.”

  
He tucks my hair behind my left ear. “What would I do without you?”

  
****

  
We remain in his bed till dusk, emerging to get food. I’m wearing my underwear  & his hoodie- the exact same one I wore over a year ago, after we first slept together. He’s wearing sweat pants. I’m cutting up some fruit when the nausea hits.

  
I put down the knife, gripping the edge of the bench for support. I close my eyes & take slow, deep breaths- a tip Mum had told me to combat morning sickness. I actually don’t get why it’s called ‘morning sickness’, it doesn’t exclusively come in the morning.

  
“Paige?” Mark says, placing his hands on my hips, his concern clear in his voice. “Are you okay?”

  
I nod. It’s all I can handle doing.

  
“Are you sure?”

  
I nod again. It’s starting to pass.

  
He turns me around, places his hand under my chin & tilts my head up. “Look at me,” he whispers.

  
I open my eyes, met by his concerned look.

  
“Tell me what's going on?”

  
“I just… Felt dizzy.”

  
His frown deepens. He then lifts me up, sitting me on the bench beside the chopping board. He stands between my legs, one hand on my hip, the other cups my face. I close my eyes as I turn into his hand.

  
“I should get you a glass of water,” he says.

  
“No,” I reply.

  
“You need a drink. You're probably dehydrated.”

  
I turn further into his hand. “Stay.”

  
“Hey,” he says. I look at him & he smiles a little. “I’ll be gone just a moment.”

  
I sigh then nod. He steps away, goes across the kitchen, grabs a glass & fills it with water. He comes back to me, hands me the glass & soothingly rubs my thighs as he watches me down it in a few gulps. I set the glass down on the bench.

  
“Feel better?”

  
I nod.

  
“Good.” He kisses me. “What do you think caused it?”

  
“Like you said… I was dehydrated. Probably from…” I give him a look.

  
He smiles, understanding what I mean. But then the concern returns. “Are you sure that's it?”

  
I nod, grabbing a piece of fruit & eat it. But the concern is still there.

  
“What?” I ask.

  
“I dunno. You just seem… Sad,” he says. “Tell me what's going on.”

  
I sigh. “It wasn't dizziness.”

  
He steps closer & rubs my legs again, waiting for me to continue.

  
“I felt… Sick.”

  
“Awww, babe. Do you have a cold?”

  
I shake my head.

  
“What is it?”

  
“It was…” I sigh. “I dunno why I’m feeling so… I dunno why I’m having so much trouble saying this!”

  
I cover my face with both hands. He kisses the top of my head, gently rubbing my back. And the comfort makes it all clearer- everything holding me back is brushed aside. I drop my hand, look him in the eyes & it just comes out so effortlessly.

  
“I’m pregnant.”

  
His eyes widen & jaw drops. “That's… Fantastic!” He frowns. “Right? I mean… You want it, right?”

  
I nod.

  
“So… Why are you upset?”

  
I shrug. “I dunno,” I reply. “Maybe because I…” I sigh. “I found out while you were in a coma.”

  
Tears spill out, & he pulls me into a hug. He rubs my back, resting his chin on my head. I wrap my arms around him, holding him tight.

  
“I found out, & I was _sooo_ scared that I was going to lose you… And that would mean I would be a single mum,  & I… I just freaked out.”

  
“Awww!” He says. “That's scary. But I’m here. And even if I wasn't, you wouldn't be alone.”

  
I sniff. “I know, but…” I pull back to look him in the eyes. “I don't want to raise our child without you. I want them to know you, to see the hero that I see. And… I don't think I'm a good parent.”

  
He cups my cheek again, wiping my tears away with his thumb. “We're not born with the knowledge of being a parent. It's a learning curve, just like other aspects of life.”

  
I pout. “But you're a natural.”

  
He smiles. “With kids, yes. But… That's mainly just holding them.”

  
“I’ve seen you with Nell, you know.”

  
“It's all instincts, Paige. You just got to trust yourself. And you know Lauren, Sonya… There are mums here that will _always_ give you advice if you need it.”

  
I nod. “I know. It's just…” I sniff. “It wouldn't be the same without you.”

  
He places his other hand on my other cheek  & pulls me in, claiming my lips with his for a long, slow kiss. After our kiss, he rests his forehead against mine, & lightly rubs his nose against mine. He smiles.

  
“We're having a baby!” He says.

  
We both smile before he claims my lips with his again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big stuff happening next chapter ;)


	7. Planning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark comes up with a surprise for Paige, but what is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... When I started this chapter, I was gonna have it as a much longer chapter... Till I stumbled upon a note at the end of a scene, a note that I forogt I'd written out a while back. And it works perfectly as an end chapter note. So... I rolled with it. Cause I find it best to trust my instincts.

He places a line of kisses horizontally along my tummy, just above my belly button. It's the tenth time this morning.

“Are you going to keep that up for the whole pregnancy?” I ask.

He looks at me. “Would that be such a bad thing?”

I raise my eyebrow.

“I just want to show how much I love our little one.”

“Yeah, well, our little one is barely the size of my pinkie nail right now.”

He shifts, so our faces are close. “Tiny or not, I still love her or him,” he says. “Just like I will always love you.”

He claims my lips with his.

****

She frowns, pouting as we stand in my kitchen.

“I don't wanna go _woooooorrrrrrrkkkkkk!_ ” She whines, stepping closer & hugging me.

I wrap my arms around her. “So stay,” I reply, before kissing her forehead. “We could have breakfast in bed & just stay there all day.”

She groans. “Not helping!”

She pulls back to look at me, our arms still around each other.

“I’ve already taken a lot of time off already.”

“Yes, but Lauren knows why,” I reply. “I’m sure she won't mind one more day.”

“I know, I knowwwwww,” she says. “But I need the money. Besides, if I don't start back, I’m going to end up staying with you for your whole recovery.”

I pull her closer & smirk. “Would that be so bad?”

“We have to pay for things!”

“Well, we have my work insurance payout…”

“Most of which is chewed up by the hospital bills.”

“Oh, you party pooper!”

“Just being realistic.”

I narrow my eyes. “Since when did we swap roles?”

“Since you woke up,” she cheekily replies.

I kiss her. “Stay,” I whisper against her lips.

She groans. “I should go.”

I whimper.

“Oh, babe, please don't. This is hard enough as is!”

“So just stay! Call Lauren & tell her your morning sickness is hitting hard.”

She looks shocked. “I am _not_ using our child as an excuse to stay in bed! If I’m going to do that, I’d do it when I’m the size of a whale! And that won't happen till I’m in my last trimester!”

I rub her back. “I just want to spend some time with you.”

She nods. “I know, I want to too. But…” She sighs. “I want to work. We’re going to need to save up as much as we can. In about seven months, I’m probably not going to be working as much.” She slides her hands up my arms. “And with you off work for a bit, it's up to me to keep the money coming in.”

I sigh & nod. “You’re right.”

She kisses me. She pulls back, but I chase her lips. When I try to deepen it, in the hope of coaxing her into staying, she pushes me back.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

“Fine,” I reply. “But I’m coming in & having lunch with you.”

“Sounds good,” She replies, before giving me a quick kiss.

She grabs her handbag & mobile off the bench. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

I watch her leave. I sigh. And then an idea hits me.

****

I cross the street, heading to the Rebecchi’s house. I see Susan & Sonya exit just as I reach the curb.

“Oh, hi Mark!” Sonya calls out.

“Hi Sonya & Susan,” I reply, walking up to them.

“Hi Mark, it's good to see you up & about again,” Susan says.

“Thanks.” I smile. “It's good to be back.”

“I thought you would be on bed rest,” Sonya says.

“Karl told me to take it easy.”

Sonya stares at me, one eyebrow raised. “And I see you're doing that,” She sarcastically replies.

“I’m not chasing down criminals.”

“Yes, but you're walking around,” She replies. “Surely that is enough of a risk of aggravating your injuries?”

“Right. Thanks for making me regret coming over.” I turn to go.

“Oh, Mark. Mark!” She grabs my arm, & I turn back to her. “I'm just worried about you.”

“Well, I’m fine. I just can't lie around all day. I’ve done enough of that lately.”

“Alright, alright. How's Paige doing?”

“She's good. Happy to have her fiancé back.”

“Congratulations!” Susan says.

I smile as we lean in to hug. “Thanks. I just wish Paige & I had announced it, rather than it getting around the way it did.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry,” Sonya says.

I shrug. “Don't be. I should have known by now that nothing stays secret for long on Ramsay Street.”

“That's, uh… That’s very true,” Sonya says. “Anyway… There was, uh… Was there something you wanted?”

“Yes,” I reply. “About Paige.”

“Oh?” Sonya replies, surprised.

I hold my hands together in front of me, fingers digging into the other hand. “I need both of you… I need your help with something.”

****

I walk into _Harold’s_ , ready to have lunch with Paige, but feeling a little nervous given the surprise I have to keep secret from her. Lauren is cleaning a table by the door as I enter.

“Mark,” She says, surprised. “I thought you'd be resting at home?”

“I’m okay if I take it easy, which I’m doing. But thank you for your concern.”

She nods. “You're welcome.”

“While I have you, I’m going to need your help tomorrow afternoon.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Yes, but… I can't go into details now. It's a surprise for Paige.”

She smile- that smile she has one she knows what I mean.

“I’ll let you know later on what I need you to do,” I add.

“Okay, sounds good,” She replies, nodding. “In the meantime…” She tilts her head towards the kitchen. “She's in there making rolls.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

“No worries,” She replies as I pass her, headed for the kitchen.

I slip inside. She's got her back to the door, completely focused on making rolls to notice me. So I quietly cross to her, making sure she's not holding a sharp knife when I cover her eyes.

“Mark!”

I smile & kiss her neck as I drop my hands. I wrap my arms around her waist, placing one hand over her tummy. “Are they for us?”

“No, they're for people who have paid.”

“I’ve paid!”

She scoffs. “When?”

I rest her chin on her shoulder. “Okay, technically not-”

“Ah _huh_.”

“But wouldn't it be nice if we had them on the house?”

I sense her raised eyebrow. “You are aware that ‘on the house’ means that _Harold’s_ pays, right?”

“Lauren won't mind.”

“But _I_ will.”

“Just go with it, babe.”

“No.”

I straighten & turn her around, leaving my hands on her hips. “Tell me what's going on.”

She frowns. “There's nothing going on.”

I give her a firm look. “You’ve been resisting every romantic gesture I’ve made since-”

“Not all of them.”

I sigh. “You resisted that initially,” I reply. “And I put that down to the shock of recent events, that it was a one off. But now… Now you're doing it again. And… I'm worried.”

She sighs. “Ever since we got engaged, I’ve felt like I’m not… I’m not in control of my life. I was one step away from losing you for a week, &…” Tears fill her eyes. “And then the pregnancy news. I spent the week feeling like I was trapped in a box, forced to watch on as my world came crashing down & I could do nothing-” Her tears break free & fall down her cheeks. “ _Nothing_ to stop it.”

I gently cup her face, wiping her tears away with my thumbs. “And you think resisting me is going to help?”

She closes her eyes. “I thought it would.”

“Oh, Paige!”

“I _know_! I’m stupid!”

“Hey,” I whisper. “Look at me.”

She slowly does.

“You're the smartest, most beautiful woman I know,” I reply. “We all make mistakes.”

“Not like this.”

“Don't be so hard on yourself. It's been a hard week & a half, & we’ve both been rattled. But you know what? We're still standing. This,” I hold her left hand up between us, pointing to her ring. “This is not only a symbol of my undying love for you. It's a symbol of how much I’m going to be there for you. And I’m going to be there for you, & our little one. Always.” I cup her face again. “I fought my way back to you. I love you so much.”

Tears of joy appear. “I love you so much.”

We kiss. I then pull her in, wrapping my arms around her, holding her tight, her head tucked under my chin. My fragile fiancée.

But not for long.


	8. The Surprise Reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's plan is revealed... But what is it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly, I can't believe I'm 8 chapters in after just a few days of posting! Wow!
> 
> Anyway... I keep splitting these up into smaller bits! Haha!
> 
> Enjoy!

“I know you were on the afternoon shift, but… Margi is sick,” Mum’s voice comes through my mobile. “And that leaves me short staffed till the lunch rush. So… I was hoping you could come in & work the shift. You can have the afternoon off.”

I sigh, looking across the kitchen bench at my fiancé, who is making us breakfast. “I was going to spend this morning making sure Mark takes it easy…”

“If she needs you, go,” Mark says. “I promise to take it easy.”

I tilt my mobile so the microphone is down. “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.”

I stare at him, then sigh. I tilt my mobile back up. “I’ll be in shortly. Haven't had breakfast yet.”

“Sure thing, darling. You’ll finish at one, is that okay?”

“That's fine. See you soon.”

****

Mark walks in at midday. Looking _very_ happy.

“Wow. Someone's in a good mood,” I say as he crosses to the counter.

“I'm happy to see _you_ ,” he replies, leaning over the counter to kiss me.

“You're unusually happy.”

He looks confused. “Can't I be happy when I visit my fiancée at work?”

“That's… Not what I meant,” I reply. “And shouldn't you be taking it easy?”

“I'm _fine_.”

I stare at him, not really sure if I believe him. “What can I get you?”

“Nothing.”

I frown. “ _What_?”

“Nothing. I don't want anything.”

“So… Why come?” I ask, confused.

“I wanted to talk to you & Lauren.”

“You could have called.”

“Dropping in is much nicer. Besides… I get to see your beautiful face.”

I smile.

“Hi Mark,” Mum says, stepping up beside me.

“Hey Lauren,” He replies with a smile. “Perfect timing.”

“Oh?”

“I came to let you both know I’m having people over for lunch.”

I gape. “Isn't that a bit too soon?”

He looks confused. “It's just a few people, to say thanks for all the support since my accident.”

“I don't think it's the best idea.”

“I think it's good,” Mum says.

“ _Mum._ "

“It's just lunch, sweetheart.”

“A BBQ. And I’ve already got Az & Ty helping, & they'll be helping to clean up.”

I sigh. “I’m not going to change your mind, am I?”

He looks really cute. “No.”

I groan, rolling my head back. “Fiiine.”

He sneaks round the counter & stands by my side. He turns me to face me, looking down at me a little as he says, “I promise you'll love it.”

“You're setting the bar very high there.”

He smirks. “It's worth it for you.” He kisses me. “I gotta run. Just come after your shift.”

I nod, pulling him in for one last kiss. I then watch him go, waving bye when he pauses at the door to look at me.

****

“Explain to me _again_ why you want us to change _just_ to attend a simple BBQ at Mark’s?” I ask, as we walk into our lounge.

“Because… We’ve been working,” Mum replies. “I just think it will be nice to freshen up a bit.”

I place my handbag on the kitchen bench. “Okay, what's going on?”

“What? Nothing.”

“ _Mum_.”

“Does there _have_ to be something going on for me to suggest that we freshen up?”

I raise my eyebrow. “You & Mark have been… Weird all day.”

“So?” She replies, avoiding eye contact.

“Spill, Mum.”

“I can't tell you.”

I gape. “So there _is_ something!”

She looks at me, & sighs. “Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“It's a surprise.”

“ _Urgh!_ ”

“Mark wants it to be a surprise.”

“Oh, so you’re siding with _him_ over your _own daughter?_ ”

“He's _practically_ my son-in-law!” She says. “And after _all_ you two have been through lately, I’m frankly quite surprised you're not open to all of this. You say we’ve been acting weird lately, but you’ve been so shut off the last few days.”

I look confused. “No I haven't.”

“You’ve been shutting his suggestions, like the BBQ, down.”

“Yes, that's because I'm worried he’s over doing things. Karl told him to take it easy. And he hasn't.”

“And I think you should show more trust towards him,” She replies. “Trust that he isn't going to over do it.”

I fight back tears. “I thought I’d lose him. That _we’d_ lose him.”

“But you haven't.”

She hugs me. She pulls back, looks at me & says, “Now… Go & get cleaned up. And pick out a nice dress.”

I nod, forcing myself to smile. I then head to my room.

****

I’m looking through my clothes, trying to work out what to wear, when my mobile rings. I cross to my bedside table & pick it up, looking at the caller ID. I answer, bringing it up to my ear.

“Mark, hey. We’ll be over shortly. Mum _insisted_ I change into something nicer, which I think is _ridiculous_ since it's just a BBQ.”

“I know. She called.”

“She did?” I asked, surprised.

“Mmmhmm. It's why I'm calling.”

I’m confused. “Why?”

He sighs. “I… I didn't want to have you know until you arrived, I want to surprise you. But… From what Lauren said, I feel like I _can't_ hide this any longer.”

“No! _No_! You’ve done _so_ much effort, I don't want you to be so close  & then have all that worked ruined by telling me early!” I plead. “Wait, we’ll be over soon.”

“It's close enough, & you’ll understand why we’ve been so… Evasive.”

“ _Ooookay_ ,” I reply. “You have me worried.”

“Don't be. It's good! I promise,” He says. “It's not a BBQ. Well… Sort of.”

I frown. “ _What?!_ "

He hesitates.

And then he says three word I was never expecting.

“It's a wedding.”


	9. Getting Ready

_“It's a wedding.”_

The words echo in my mind.

“Wha… _What?_ ”

“Paige, I know it's fast, but… Recent events have shown me that life is too fragile to waste what time we have. We don't have to do it if you don't want to. Just say so, & I’ll make this all go back to just a late lunch BBQ between neighbours,” he says. I can sense him smiling. “But… I don't want to spend another day waiting to call you my wife.”

“Yes,” I whisper.

“Fate tore away our time to celebrate our engagement. We’ve been through so much pain, I want us to have a happy memory.”

“You didn't hear me, Mark.”

“Oh. Sorry,” He says. “What did you say?”

“Yes.”

Silence.

“Mark?”

More silence.

“Say something!”

“Uh, sorry. Forgot it's a call for a moment.”

“Awwwww!!! You're cute!”

“I better be, you're marrying me in hopefully about half an hour…”

I giggle.

“I wasn't going to do this, but since you already know… I’m going to get Sonya & Imogen to come over. They have a dress for you. I wasn't sure if you’d have one that would do as a wedding dress, so I asked them to get one for you.”

“Awwww! That's so sweet & thoughtful!”

I can sense his smile. “Anything for my soon-to-be wife. I love you.”

“I love you too,” I reply. I then remember the superstition about seeing the bride (& dress) before the ceremony. “Isn't it bad luck to see the bride before the wedding? I slept over?”

“Don't you worry about that. I may have seen you, but I made sure Imogen kept the dress well away from me. That should be enough,” he replies. “Besides, what matters is that we're about to get married. All that superstition stuff means _nothing_ in the scheme of things. Now… I’ll let you go  & get ready.”

“Okay.”

“I don't want you to be late for our wedding.”

“I won't.”

“See you soon.”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, babe.”

****

Between Mum, Imogen, Sonya & myself we get ready in no time. Imogen does my hair- _insisted_ , really, “cause it's your wedding day & you shouldn't have to do your own hair… & I’m doing it anyway.”

She pulls the top part back, pins it in place, & lightly curls the rest. Mum & Imogen then try to get me to allow them to do my make-up, but I tell them it’ll be quicker if I do it. I sneak in something quick to eat since I haven't had lunch & won't eat till after the ceremony. Plus I’m eating for two now. I then do my make-up before going with Imogen to my room to change into my dress.

“I really hope you like it,” Imogen says, stepping over to the dress in a protective jacket hanging on my wardrobe’s door. “I tried to find one that's your style, but since I only had yesterday… I’m not sure if I got it right.”

“I'm sure you’ve done the best you could.”

She smiles. “Thanks.”

“I fully trust my maid of honour.”

She gapes. “I’m your maid of honour?” She asks, then continues in a high pitch, “ _Seriously?_ ”

I nod. “Wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it.”

We hug. She then gestures for me to open the protective jacket. So I step closer & carefully unzip it. I push it aside to reveal the dress & gasp. It's a beautiful A-line ball gown with a sweetheart neckline on a stunning lace bodice & off-the-shoulder lace sleeves that will reach halfway down my upper arm. The skirt is layered English net, cascading down to the floor.

“That means you love it?” Imogen asks, looking nervous.

I nod. “It's so beautiful.”

She sighs, relieved.

I hug her. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” She replies, hugging me.

And then the nausea hits. I quickly withdraw from the hug.

She frowns. “Are you okay?”

“Excuse me,” I reply.

I rush out the door, & run to the bathroom.

****

“Is she okay?” Imogen’s voice drifts through the corridor from the lounge as I return to my bedroom.

I pause, hand on my bedroom door, & listen.

“Why do you ask?” Mum replies.

“Because she just bolted from her room to the bathroom. One minute she was fine, the next she looked sick.”

I slowly walk closer to the lounge, being careful not to draw attention to myself so I can listen in on their conversation.

“She's fine. It's probably just nerves,” Mum replies.

“I agree,” Sonya says. “I mean, she found out that she's getting married today. It's a lot to take in. I was nervous with my wedding to Jarrod, & I had weeks of preparation.”

“Yeah,” Imogen says. “You're probably right.”

My heart tightens at her tone. She's so sad. And I know I can't hide this any longer.

“It's not nerves,” I say, stepping into the lounge & drawing their attention. “There's something you should know.”

“Are you sure you want to announce it now?” Mum asks.

I nod. "They're going to find out eventually, anyway…” I reply. “Besides, I can't have them helping me out today without telling them.”

“Okay, what's going on?” Imogen says.

“It's not nerves, it's…” I inhale a shaky breath, slowly releasing it. “I'm…” I smile. “I’m three, almost four weeks pregnant.”

Imogen & Sonya are shocked. They stand there for a moment, gaping.

“Congratulations!” Sonya says, walking over & hugging me.

“Thanks,” I reply as I hug her back.

“Mark didn't mention anything,” Sonya says. “He does know…”

I nod. “I told him two days ago.”

“Is that why you're having the wedding so fast?”

I gape at Imogen.

"Having it before the baby comes,” She says. “It's starting to sound like a shotgun wedding.”

“Uh.. _Nooo_ ,” I reply. “Mark wants to do it because we've been through so much & he thinks life is too short to waste time. We're getting married not because we _have_ to…” I walk over to her as I continue, “But because we _want_ to.”

She looks slightly terrified. “I… I’m sorry. It just seemed that way.”

“It's fine. I don't blame you for jumping to that conclusion.”

We hug.

“Okay,” I say, as we part. “I think it's time for me to get into that stunning dress & get over there.”

****

I get dressed on my own. I strip, swapping to a nicer pair of underwear & putting on my shoes before carefully getting my dress off the hanger. I only notice now that it's backless- the bodice dipping down the sides to the top of the skirt. So my back will be exposed.

“May as well flaunt it while I still can,” I quietly say to myself.

It's fairly easy to get on- there's no buttons to do up. The trickiest part is stepping into the skirt without stepping on it.

When I’m wearing it, I look at myself in the mirror. It fits _perfectly_. Imogen, you did amazingly well.

I suck in a deep breath. _I can't believe I’m about to marry Mark!_

****

I walk out into the lounge, hearing Mum, Lauren & Imogen out on the deck. So I walk toward the back door. But I stop just out of their view.

“Ready to see it?” I ask, loud enough so they'll hear.

“Yes, sweetie!” Mum replies.

I step out slowly, nervously watching their reactions. Mum covers her mouth with her right hand, tears swelling. Imogen & Sonya smile. I turn around in a circle, so they can see the back as well.

"You look so beautiful!” Mum says, coming over to me & cupping my face with both hands before kissing my forehead.

I smile. “Thanks Mum.”

She's dressed in one of my favourite dresses of hers- a baby blue dress that looks amazing on her. Sonya & Imogen are wearing violet dresses- similar but just enough differences that suit each of them.

“Oh, uh, Mark… Mark thought I should be one of your bridesmaids,” Sonya says. “He thought you wouldn't mind if you mirrored each other- two siblings & then someone else.”

“Riiight,” I reply, still confused.

“Lucas has come down to be Mark’s best man,” Imogen explains. “Vanessa & the kids have come too.”

“Oh, yay!” I reply, smiling. “But… Wait… If I have you two… Who is the third?”

“Piper,” Imogen says. “She’ll meet us over there.”

I nod. Sonya's phone rings. She checks the ID.

“Mark,” She says, hanging up. “We should get going.”

I nod. “Can you text him to let him know we're coming? I don't want him worrying.”

Sonya nods. “Of course.”

****

It's a team effort getting me up the front steps of the Brennans’ house- Mum in front, holding my hand, while Imogen & Sonya hold my dress up. But it doesn't take long.

“It may have been easier having it somewhere where I _didn't_ have to walk up stairs,” I say as we stand on the deck. “Not that I’m complaining about having it here at Mark’s… Just… Not fun getting up there.”

“Well, you won't have to worry about getting back down them later…” Imogen says, receiving shocked looks from Mum & Sonya.

“I bought a shorter dress for her to wear when they leave on their honeymoon!” Imogen says.

Mum opens the front door. As I step in, I find Aaron & Tyler sitting at the kitchen bench in their suits.

“Well, don't you two scrub up nicely,” I say, drawing their attention.

Both leap up & stare at me as Mum, Imogen & Sonya walk in.

“You look beautiful,” Aaron says, stepping over.

“Thanks,” I reply, carefully hugging him.

“I agree,” Tyler says, walking over for a hug. “Mark’s going to lose his jaw when he sees you.”

I smile, blushing. I then realise Lucas & Piper are missing. “Where's Lucas & Piper?”

“Out the back,” Tyler says. “Piper’s helping with last minute set up, while Lucas…”

I frown, worried. “What?”

Tyler looks at Aaron.

“Mark’s…” Aaron says. “Just a little nervous.”

I sigh, relieved. “For a moment I thought you were going to say he had cold feet & had gone!”

Aaron takes my hands. “He’d _never_ do that.”

I smile weakly.

“We… Uh…” Aaron says. “We know. About the… Uh… Other news.”

I frown, confused. Then it hits. “ _Ohhhh!_ The baby! You can say it. I told them.”

Aaron nods, smiling. “Okay, wasn't sure.”

“She had the small case of morning sickness earlier,” Imogen replies.

“Congratulations,” Aaron & Tyler each say.

I pull them in for a group hug.

“Right,” I say, pulling back. “Can one of you go get Lucas, Piper & Dad? We shouldn't make Mark stress out any longer.”

Tyler nods. “On it.”

I kiss his cheek. “Thanks.”

“No worries,” He replies, smiling. He then heads out into the backyard.


	10. I Swear, That I Will Always Love You Like I Do (You & You Alone)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Paige & Mark finally get married.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I broke my run of posting one chapter a day. But there's a good reason- the wedding is a complicated part of the story. There's a lot of details I had to research & plan carefully, cause I wanted it PERFECT.
> 
> And so here it is!

“I’m so glad you made it,” I say. “I know it was short notice-”

“I cleared my schedule,” Mary replies. “I wouldn't miss this.”

I smile. “She'll be very happy to see you.”

“Mark!” Lucas calls.

I turn to look at him. He's walking over.

“Sorry to interrupt,” he says to Mary as he steps up beside us.

“Not at all,” Mary replies. “It's a big day.”

Lucas nods. He then looks at me. “Son didn't answer, she in fact hung up.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Don't freak out,” Lucas says. “It's nothing bad. She texted straight away saying they're coming now.”

I sigh, relieved. But also nervous.

“I guess I should go sit down,” Mary says.

I nod. I lean in, kissing her on the cheek as she does the same. She then walks over to the seats, sitting down in the front row, third one from the left side of the main aisle.

I look around- the last of our guests are settling in. Piper & Erin are busily making the last adjustments to the floral arrangements. Brad walks over.

“How are your nerves?” He asks.

“Not too bad,” I reply.

Lucas stares at me. “You're looking more & more nervous by the second.”

“I’m fine,” I reply. “It's perfectly normal to be a little nervous. You were.”

“True.”

****

It doesn't take long before Tyler comes out of the house. He walks over, looking a little nervous. He stays silent as he approaches. Brad, Lucas & I stare at him as he stands there with us for a minute. I flick his arm, encouraging to speak.

“It's showtime, gentlemen!” Tyler says, smiling.

I sigh. “Don't you _ever_ do that again!”

“Sorry, bro.”

“Let's go,” Brad says.

He & Lucas head off. Tyler turns to follow, but I grab his arm. He turns back to me.

“How does she look?”

He smiles. “Stunning,” he says. “You're going to love her dress.”

I smile, letting him go. I walk over to my place in front of the floral archway. I face away from our guests for a minute, calming my nerves. I inhale deeply, hold & exhale. I'm adjusting my tux when Susan, our celebrant, joins me. We smile at each other.

****

A few minutes later, Lauren walks out. I walk over to meet her at the top of the aisle & kiss her cheek, stepping with her over to her seat- next to Mary. I then return to my spot.

The music I’d chosen starts to play- _You & You Alone_ by Nina Tucker. Lucas & Imogen come round the corner of the house, arm in arm. All our guests rise & turn as Lucas & Imogen walk down the aisle. They're halfway down when Tyler & Piper appear arm in arm. I kiss Imogen’s cheek when she reaches me- Lucas stepping to my right, while Imogen takes several steps to my left. Piper & Tyler are halfway down the aisle when Aaron & Sonya appear. I kiss Piper’s cheek as Tyler steps beside Lucas, Piper joining Imogen just before Sonya & Aaron reach me. I kiss Sonya's cheek & she joins Imogen & Piper, as Aaron joins Lucas & Tyler.

_Cause all that I know is time is precious,  
And I wanna spend my time with you._

There's a tense minute when Paige & Brad don't appear. I look at Aaron, slightly panicked.

“They were right behind us,” he says.

The song is almost over & I nearly rush down the aisle, worried about what's happening. I take one step forward, when I glimpse the top of Brad’s head through the crowd. I step back, sighing in relief.

_Cause nothing could ever come between us,  
And nothing means more to me, than you._

And then I see her as she steps into the aisle with Brad. She takes my breath away. Her eyes meet mine & we smile. We don't break eye contact the whole time she's walking.

 _You are, brighter than the lights over New York city_  
And you are, my hiding place when the world’s not pretty.  
And I swear, that I will always love you like I do,  
You & You Alone  
Oh-oh  
You & You Alone  
You & You Alone

Brad & Paige arrive at the front just as the song finishes. Our guests sit down- except Lauren & Mary, who take a few steps forward to join Brad. Paige remains, arms linked, with Brad- one of the technical parts of the wedding is “the hand off”, an overly traditional moment where the father of the bride “gives” the bride to the groom. I hate it as much as Paige does (we’d discussed it a bit the night of our engagement), but Paige knew it would be important to Brad, so we agreed to keep it. I asked Mary if she would like to be a part of this moment too. Lauren & Mary each kiss Paige, the latter excited to see Mary. Paige then returns her gaze to me.

“You're so beautiful,” I softly say to her.

She smiles, blushing. I really want to hold her in my arms & kiss her, but I hold back.

"Sorry for the delay," She softly replies. "Nausea hit."

"It's fine," I softly reply. "You made it. That's what counts."

“We are gathered here today, in front of family & friends, to join Mark & Paige in matrimony; which is an honourable & solemn estate, & therefore is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently & soberly,” Susan says. “Into this estate, Mark & Paige come now to be joined. If anyone can show just cause why they may not be lawfully joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace.”

Silence.

“Well, that's good,” Susan says. “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”

“We do,” Brad, Lauren & Mary reply in unison.

Brad & I shake hands. Paige then kisses each of her parents. I hold my hand out to her, & Paige unlinks her arm with Brad & takes my hand. She steps forward, still holding my hand, till we're side by side. Brad, Lauren & Mary take their seats as Paige hands her bouquet to Imogen.

“To start off with, I’m going to read two readings that Mark has chosen, before we hear the vows,” Susan says.

Paige & I nod, Paige gently squeezing my hand.

“Love should have no other desire, but to fulfil itself,” Susan says, reading from her folder. “But if your love & needs must have desires, let these be your desires: To melt & be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; And to bleed willingly & joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart & give thanks for another day of loving. To rest at noon hour & meditate love’s ecstasy; To return home at eventide with gratitude; Then to sleep with a vision of the beloved in your heart & a song of love on your lips.”

Paige & I look at each other & smile.

“Mark & Paige, seek from within yourselves:  
The serenity to accept things you cannot change  
The courage to change things that you must  
And the wisdom to know the difference.  
Live each day, one day at a time  
Enjoying your time together, one moment at a time.  
Seek the wisdom of experience,  
Learning all that you can from each other.  
Accept hardships as the building blocks of experience,  
Realising that accepting both the good & bad,  
Are simply a part of being alive.  
Strive to make as many things right,  
As is humanly possible in your life together.  
That you may be reasonably happy,  
In the life you share from this day forward.”

She looks up at us, & smiles to each of us. “And now, for the vows.”

Paige & I turn to face each other, & I see her petrified look.

“Are we doing our own ones?” Paige quietly asks Susan & myself. “Cause I have nothing prepared.”

“Hey,” I say, drawing her attention. I squeeze her hand. “You can do it.” I smile reassuringly, before looking at Susan. “Why don't I go first? Give her a few minutes to think.”

Susan nods. She then looks at our guests & says, “First we’ll hear from Mark.”

I take a deep breath in, steadying my nerves. I take hold of her other hand. “Paige, we’ve only known each other for a year & a half, but… I can't picture my life without you,” I say. “When I walked into Harold's that day, I didn't think that I would fall in love with the young brunette behind the counter who talked me into having a cake I never ordered.”

Paige & everyone else laughs.

“But I did. I found you when my heart was broken, when I thought I’d never love again. But you made me smile, you made my days a little brighter and brought the life back in when I needed it. You were staying with mine to begin with, & were were housemates & friends, & we have helped each other through hard times.” I squeeze her hands. “I was so shut off from love when we met, but you…” Tears fill my eyes. I breathe in a shaky breath. “You showed me how to love again, & I will _always_ be grateful for that.”

She smiles, squeezing my hands.

“Now, as we start the next chapter of our lives, I look back and regret that I drove you away by keeping my undercover work from you. I know now that I was wrong to not trust you, & I paid dearly. And I know it took me a long time-”

She scoffs. “It was getting on for a year!”

Everyone laughs, even me.

“True,” I reply. “I know it took me a long time to see my wrongs & admit my feelings for you again, & now… Now I'm making up for lost time. And so, as I stand here in front of you, in front of our family & friends, on the exact spot where I proposed, I promise you this…” I swallow, steadying my nerves. “That I will _always_ love you, that my love for you will grow  & continue to grow over the days, weeks, & years we will spend together from this day forth. I promise that I will always protect you- to the best I can, cause I know you can look after yourself.”

She smiles as our guests laugh.

“I promise that I will always be there for you. That I will be your rock through the hard times, the good times, & through sicknesses,” I say. I squeeze her hands. “But above all, I promise with _all_ my soul, that I will _always_ come back to you- no matter what life throws at me via my work, I will _always_ walk back in through our front door  & into your arms.”

She smiles, tears filling her eyes.

“Oh, god! Now it's my turn!” She says, laughing a little.

Imogen hands her a tissue.

“Thanks,” Paige says as she takes it.

She dabs her tears away, giving it back to Imogen. She turns back to me, taking my hands again. She takes a deep breath, slowly letting it out.

“You have always meant so much to me, even when we weren't together,” She says. “I have always been really in love with you, even after you broke my heart. But that's one of the things that I love about you- you can be infuriating & stubborn, but so can I. We bring our the best- & sometimes worst- in each other. And yet, we have our differences. But no matter what, we still love each other.”

I smile.

“I came here to know my biological parents, to get the answers I had been asking myself all these years. I never thought that I’d be meeting the love of my life, my soulmate,” she says. “And yet, there you were. You have always been there for me, always showing me that you care- even though we weren't together. Like the time I cut my finger & you treated it, or the time I burnt my hand & you came over to see how I was. Those small acts of kindness, of caring for my wellbeing gave me hope that one day we would be together again, even though you kept saying things like…” She mimics me when she continues, “ “I’m just being friendly”.”

Everyone laughs.

“It was obvious that you were flirting, & even though you kept denying it whenever I asked you about it, I never gave up hope. And I got you back in the end… I’m proud that I got mad at you… _again_ , & got you to admit what we both knew all along,” She says. “And now… Now we're making the _other_ biggest commitment possible,  & I can't wait to call you my husband.” She sniffs. “I promise not to hit you with a broom ever again-”

“That hurt. A _lot_ ,” I reply, making her chuckle.

“I promise to let you save me… _occasionally_. For the sake of your ego.”

Everyone laughs.

“I promise that, though we will argue, I’ll _always_ love you. Because I know that we’ve been through so much up till now,  & we're still standing. So we can survive… I think it's safe to say we can survive _anything_.” She smirks. “Like a fall off a dilapidated third storey balcony that left you in a coma for a week.”

I smile, gently squeezing your hand.

“I love you, Mark. _Always_.”

I want to kiss her _so_ bad. But I resist, knowing we're so incredibly close to making this official. She looks at Susan.

“Uh… Can we please move on? I feel like my mascara is going to run soon.”

“Certainly,” Susan says with a nod. “Who has the rings?”

Lucas pulls the rings out of his jacket’s inner pocket, placing them on the open page of Susan's folder. She holds them close enough to us so we can reach them.

“Wedding rings are made precious by us wearing them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness, you have chosen to be bound together. The ring has no beginning & no ending, which symbolises that the love between you will never cease. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, & that, despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, & delight. May these rings remind you always of the vows you have taken here today.”

I pick up her ring. I take her left hand so it rests in my left hand, her ring safely in my right hand.

“Through this ring, I accept you as my wife, now & for all time. I give you this ring, a symbol of my love & faithfulness, as I give to you all that I am, & accept from you all that you are,” I say. I then slide the ring onto her finger, sliding it down her finger as I continue, “As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart & soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day.”

I make sure it is snugly on her finger, in front of her engagement ring, before letting her hand go. She picks up my ring, holding my hand like I did hers.

“Through this ring, I accept you as my husband, now & for all time. I give you this ring, a symbol of my love & faithfulness, as I give to you all that I am, & accept from you all that you are,” She says. She then slides the ring onto my finger, as she continues, “As I place it on your finger, I commit my heart & soul to you. I ask you to wear this ring as a reminder of the vows we have spoken today, our wedding day.”

I wait for Susan to say it. When she doesn't, I look at her.

“Oh, uh sorry,” she says. “You may now kiss.”

I take a step closer to Paige, & cup her face with both hands, smiling as I lean in & claim her lips with mine. I kiss her slowly, relishing that this is our first kiss as husband & wife. She grips the side of my jacket, pulling me closer as we kiss. Everyone claps. Finally, we stop kissing- & for a moment we stand there in each others arms, foreheads touching… & we smile.

****

Our first dance consists a little of dancing, followed by mostly just swaying from side to side in each other's embrace. I rest my head on his chest, my arms wrapped around him, under his jacket that's now undone. He rests his chin on my head, one arm around my waist as he traces a pattern absentmindedly on my bare back with his other hand. He presses a kiss to the top of my head as others join us on the dance floor.

“You seem tired,” he says at the end of the song. “We should go sit.”

I nod as I reluctantly withdraw from him. He takes my hand, leading me back to our table. He stops at his chair, letting go of my hand so he can pull off his jacket. He helps me put it on, before sitting down & pulling me till I’m sitting in his lap. I rest my head on his shoulder, as he wraps his arms around me, his hands resting on my tummy. I place my hands over his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't want to put it in the nites at the start but... the song used in the wedding, I credit in the chapter as 'You & You Alone' by Nina Tucker. In reality, it's Delta Goodrem. Thought I should use Nina in the chapter, & credit Delta here. It's available on YouTube to listen to now, & hopefully on her next album!
> 
> Planning on diverting a little next chapter- there's a sub-plot that I wanna include.


	11. Friends Shouldn't Sleep In Each Other's Bed (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding brings a surprising development for Tyler.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... This is a slight side-track, but it's an idea that I wanna use as a sub-plot. Besides, I like to mix things up every now & then ;) Also... I love all three Brennans, so I can't help but throw in this little twist.

I stir, half asleep but feeling the hangover I’m starting to suffer. I feel her shift closer, snuggling into my side & draping one arm over my back. But something feels… _different_. I know what Mavi feels like,  & something feels different. I inhale, taking in her scent. _Definitely not Mavi_.

I open my eyes, blinking to clear the sleepiness. My eyes focus on her face, & I’m shocked to see who it is.

 _Piper_.

****

**At the wedding**

I look up from my phone when I catch sight of his hand, held out towards me. I look at him, confused to see that he's holding it out to me.

“Your girlfriend’s over there,” I quip, pointing across to Mavi, sitting at the next table.

“She's too tired to dance,” He replies, hand still out to me. “Besides, it's a tradition that the groomsmen complete at _least_ one dance with a bridesmaid.”

I smile. “Well then, you better go find your ex that's _also_ my sister and who happens to be a bridesmaid.”

He sighs. “You're _seriously_ going to make me beg for this?”

I raise my eyebrow. “Oh, now I wanna see you _beg_.”

“So you’d rather sit here on your phone instead of dancing with your best friend?"

I scoff. “We’re _not_ besties,” I reply. “And fyi, I was watching videos of sneezing pandas.”

“Oh, now I feel _really_ hurt that you're choosing sneezing pandas over me.” He looks really sad.

“ _Urgh_! Will you quit it if I come with you?”

He smiles. I roll my eyes, place my mobile on the table & stand on my own. I step round him & his still extended hand, heading for the dance floor.

“You coming, _Gurtie_?” I ask, throwing him a flirtatious look over my shoulder.

I walk off with a smirk, knowing he'll be gaping at me.

****

We dance through the rest of the night, stopping only to eat, get drinks & bathroom breaks. Mavi joins us for some of it, trying to coax Tyler away so she could dance with him on her own. She was successful once- but only cause I encouraged him to go.

“You okay?” Paige says.

I turn to look at her. “Of _course_!”

She looks at me. “You sure?”

“Yeah, why wouldn't I be?”

“Cause you're staring at my new brother-in-law,” she says, taking my arms to get me to dance with her.

I pull a face of disgust. “No I _wasn't_!”

“Uh… You _sooo_ were! Practically _drooling_ as he walked off!”

“He's… Just a friend!”

She gives me her ‘are you seriously trying to bs me right now?’ look.

“Besides, he's now practically my family,” I add. “I mean, he's your brother-in-law… Which makes him kinda my brother-in-law, since we're half sisters.”

She scrunches up her face. “Don't think that counts.”

“And he has a girlfriend!”

“So you're gonna try & deny that you're _totally_ crushing on him _just_ cause he's dating? What if you two are meant to be together?”

I sigh. “He's a _lot_ older than me.”

Paige tilts her head. “Mark's almost a decade older than I am, and we're now married. Don't throw away a relationship based on that.”

I sigh. “I dunno. He probably doesn't feel the same way…”

She looks surprised. “Not going to try & hide it now, huh?”

“You know it anyway… Besides, it might be good to talk about it with someone.”

She pulls me closer, leaning in so only we can hear. “I see the way he looks at you,” She says. “I wouldn't be so quick to rule out that he reciprocates.”

As we continue to dance, I can't get the thought out of my head- _what if he does like me that way? What are we going to do? What about Mavi?_

****

I rejoin Piper when Mavi gets too tired to dance. We laugh & goof around a bit on the dance floor. I haven't been this happy in a long time. And then the music swaps to a slow song, one clearly for couples. We both stand there awkwardly.

“Urgh, come on,” She says, stepping closer. “What are you scared of, Gurtie?”

She grabs my left arm, pulling it up till I rest my hand on her lower back. She puts her right hand on my shoulder. I nervously swallow- _this is too close!_ She doesn't notice my nervousness, taking hold of my right hand. We start to dance.

She smiles. “See! Not that bad!”

“Didn't think you'd want to slow dance with me.”

“We're friends,” she says. “Besides, your girlfriend clearly isn't interested in dancing with you, so you’re stuck with me.”

I look over towards Mavi’s table, hoping she hasn't seen us. But she's not there. When I look back at Piper, she seems closer than before; her big, beautiful blue eyes looking at me. My eyes drop to her lips, dark red from her lipstick. _I wonder what they would taste like… To press my lips against hers..._

I snap my eyes back to hers, pushing the thoughts from my mind as I swallow hard.  _We're just friends._

As the song progresses, our dancing turns into swaying on the spot. She's much closer now- in fact, she's resting her head on my shoulder as we sway. In a moment of weakness, I rest my cheek on the back of her head & close my eyes. _This feels so good!_

“Well, if I didn't know better, I would assume you two were a couple.”

I snap my eyes open- finding Mavi standing in front of me, in amongst the other dancing guests, her arms folded tightly over her chest & looking very displeased.

Piper withdraws, stepping aside & just out of my reach- but the damage has been done.

Mavi glares at Piper, then me, before pivoting on one heel & storms off- grabbing her handbag from her table & then heads for inside.

“Mavi!” I call after her, but she doesn't stop.

I glance at Piper, who gives me a ‘what are you waiting for? Go!’ look. I rush after Mavi, hoping it's not too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can Tyler patch things up with Mavi?


	12. 4 A.M. (The Start Of Everything That You Want) (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler and Mavi make a big decision; Tyler gives Piper the cold shoulder; and what happens at 4 a.m that changes everything?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so firstly- this is PART TWO of the last chapter. I completely forgot it already had a name. But I love this title too much to ditch it. So don't be confused!
> 
> And I've been busy the last few days, which is why this is late. ... Okay, and I had some minor setbacks cause I couldn't think of how to handle the Tyler/Mavi bit.

“Mavi!” I shout, rushing into the kitchen.

I turn the corner of the kitchen, finding her at the front door, hand on the handle. She turns slowly around, & even though we're meters apart, I can tell she's crying. I take a step towards her, but she steps back, pressing herself against the wall.

“Just… Stay back,” she says.

I stand still. “About what you saw… It's not what you think.”

She stares at me in disbelief. “ _Not what I think?!_ ” She says. “Okay, here's what I’m thinking. My boyfriend has been spending the night, dancing away with some schoolgirl, who he’s _clearly_ falling in love with, but does the typical male thing  & denies it.” She crosses her arms. “How am I doing?”

I don’t know what to say. But my silence is just as bad as any words. She shakes her head as she sighs, turning & opening the front door.

I rush over, pushing it shut so she can't leave. She glares at me.

“She's just a friend,” I say, calmly.

“Do you love her?”

I don't reply. She tries to leave, but I don't budge my hand.

“Just let me leave.”

“Not until we talk.”

She sighs. “What do you want to talk about?” She asks, shrugging. “I just want you to be honest, but you won't answer. And yet you say you want to talk.”

“I… I don't know how I feel about her,” I reply. “We just… Click. We get each other better than…”

“Be honest, Tyler,” She replies. “Don't feel like you have to step around things because you're worried about my feelings. I just want to know where we stand. About us. About _her_. So just _say_ it. Say that you get each other better than anyone else. Better than me. Because that's what you were going to say, wasn't it?”

I just stare at her for a minute, & then nod. She looks at her feet.

“You know, we were having trouble. Things weren't right, & I…” She sighs. She looks at me. “I thought it was just the stress of Mark’s accident. But… Now I see that that wasn't all of it.” She wipes away tears. “I'm losing you to her.”

I lean against the door, & close my eyes for a minute. “I'm sorry.”

She scoffs. “What for?”

“I never meant to hurt you,” I reply, softly, placing my hand on her cheek.

“We can't help who we fall in love with,” She says. “It takes a lot of strength to do the right thing, & admit that you're with the wrong person.”

“You're okay with this? Even though I’m breaking your heart?”

She nods, before turning in to my hand. “I just want you to be happy, Tyler,” she says. “Even though it's not with me.”

“Come here,” I say, moving off the door & holding my arms out to hug her.

She falls into my arms, her arms wrapping around me. We hug for a long minute. I hold her tight, knowing this is the last time we’ll hug. As we part, I kiss her cheek. We stop, still holding each other.

“I hope we can be friends,” she says. “Our relationship didn't work, but… Doesn't mean we can't still be in each other's lives.”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply, with a smile. “I hope so too.”

She smiles. “And let me know what happens between you two.”

I nod. She leans forward, pressing a light kiss to my lips that I reciprocate, & then she slips out the door. I shut it, before sighing as I rest my forehead on the door.

****

“You know it's a wedding not a funeral, right?” Paige says, leaning on the bar, brushing my right arm with her left arm. “I mean, I know it's in the Brennan genes to have that brooding look, but… There's a time & a place.”

“It's nothing for you to worry about.”

She nudges my arm. “We're family now.”

“Yeah, but it's your wedding day. You shouldn't be burdened with my problems.”

She leans closer. “I always have time for you to vent to me.”

I smile a little. “Thanks, but… I’m okay.”

“You sure?”

I nod. “What's your poison?”

She looks confused, & then it hits. “Oh, sparkling apple juice,” She says. “Mum's tip. Looks enough like champagne that people who don't know about the” she lowers her voice, “pregnancy.” She then continues normally. “They’ll think I’m drinking it, but I’m being good & not.”

I reach for a bottle of sparkling juice, filling her champagne glass as I reply, “I’m no expert, but I thought you'd be able to have a glass or two.”

“Yeah, I can,” She replies. “I’m just spacing things out. Having one for the speeches, cause I feel like I can't toast with this stuff.”

“And the other one?”

She smirks a little. “Saving that one for… Later.”

I nod, grimacing. “Thanks for that mental picture of you two in the Lassiters’ honeymoon suite later on.”

"Oh, don't be like that, Tyler!” She says. She raises her glass to her lips, as she continues, “Some day that will be you.”

I scoff. “Don't think so.”

She frowns. “You don't picture yourself settling down with a pretty woman?” She asks. “Like Mavi?”

“I did for a little bit.”

Her frown deepens. “But not now?”

“Not with Mavi.”

“Did you two have a fight?”

I gulp down half my beer.

“Tyler?”

I hesitate, preparing to break the news to her. “We broke up.”

“ _What?_ ”

“As of twenty minutes ago.”

“I'm so sorry, Tyler,” She says, hugging me.

“I didn't want to tell you.”

She pulls back, frowning.

“Today's about you & Mark.”

“Like I said before, you don't have to put this aside just cause it's our wedding,” She says. “We care about you.”

“I feel like I'm pulling things down.”

“Awww, you're not!” She says, draping an arm over my shoulders. She rubs my left arm. “Why don't, instead of drowning your sorrows here, you go over to Piper & just… Dance the night away. Put aside all this brooding, & just keep enjoying tonight.”

I sigh. “Not with Piper.”

I catch her frown in the corner of my eye.

“Why not? You two were having so much fun before.”

I down the rest of my beer.

She sighs. “Okay,” She says. “I'm not leaving till you spill.”

I shake my head.

“Tyler, I'm worried about you.”

“Don't be. I’m older than you.”

“Yeah, but you're my family,” She says. “And you're also my friend. So let me in.”

I sigh, running a hand over my face. “Piper’s part of it.”

“Of what?”

“Of why Mavi & I split!” I shrug her arm off. “Why don't you just go be with your husband, & stop worrying about me?”

“Ty.”

“I'm _fine_ , Paige,” I reply. “I broke things off just as much as she did. Now, if you don't mind, I’d like to be alone.”

“To wallow in your misery?”

I shrug. “Better than being asked a million questions.”

And with that, I walk off.

****

“Paige,” I say, stepping up to her.

“Piper,” She replies.

“You were talking to Tyler before… Right?”

“Yeah,” She replies, confused.

“Is he okay?” I ask. “He ran after Mavi earlier & ever since he came back, he's been avoiding me.”

She looks awkward. “I think it's best you keep your distance for the rest of tonight.”

I frown. “Why?”

Her awkwardness grows. “It's not my place to explain.”

“ _Urgh!_ ” I exclaim, throwing my arms up. “How am I meant to keep my distance if I’m not allowed to know why the closest person I have to a friend is giving me the cold shoulder?”

"He just needs some space."

“ _Space?!_ Why?”

Her awkwardness returns.

“Paige, _please_!” I beg. “I'm worried.”

She sighs. “Fine, but… It stays between us.”

“Pinkie swear,” I say, holding my right pinkie out.

She stares at it, a little surprised by my actions, but then links her right pinkie with mine. “He & Mavi…”

I wait for her to reply. She doesn't.

“What?” I ask.

“They…” She sighs. “Broke up.”

I’m shocked. “ _What?!_ Oh my god!”

“I don't know why, but he really doesn't want to talk to you.”

I frown. “What did I do?”

She shrugs. “All he said was that you were ‘part of it’.”

I frown harder. Then it comes back- the way Mavi reacted right before she left. The way I’d been standing so close to him, my head on his chest as we swayed. The way Tyler had been resting his head on mine...

I groan, covering my face with both hands. It's all making sense now!

“Are you okay?” Paige asks, concerned.

I lower my hands. “I think I understand what's happening.”

"It doesn't… Happen to be anything to do with the fact that there was some sparks flying between you two earlier,” she says. “Does it?”

I sigh. “Possibly.”

She smiles sympathetically. “The best thing to do right now, & it may seem like the hardest thing to do… But you have to give him the space he wants tonight.”

“Really?”

She nods. “He snapped at me earlier when I tried to get him to talk about it,” She says. “I’d hate for you to walk into the firing line.”

I nod. “You're right.”

****

I roll over, sighing heavily. I check the time- _4 a.m_. I groan. Almost two hours since I’d come home. Almost two hours of lying in bed, not able to sleep.

But most importantly, not being able to stop thinking about _him_.

I know I shouldn't go talk to him, but _not_ going is killing me more than risking him yelling at me if I do go.

I slip out of bed, get dressed & sneak downstairs, wary of every sound around me. Mum would kill me if she knew I was sneaking out at 4 a.m to go see a guy. Especially when that guy happens to be the one she thinks “isn't a good influence” on me. I head for the backyard, knowing exactly the right spot to climb over the fence.

Once I'm over, I quietly make my way to the windows I know lead into his bedroom. I stop, right at the edge, & peer in. The lights are off, but I can just make out that he's lying in bed. He always sleeps with one window open in Summer, so I slip through it- surprised my movement doesn't rouse him. I even manage to go all the way over to his bed & touch his arm before he even moves.

“Mavi?” He sleepily asks.

“No, it's me,” I reply. “Piper.”

He bolts up, making me step back in shock. He turns on his bedside lamp, before rubbing a hand over his face.

“What are you doing here?”

“I can't sleep.”

“So you came here?”

“Yeah, well, you're the reason I have insomnia.”

He looks confused. “Huh?”

“I know about you & Mavi.”

He looks even more confused, then it hits. “Paige.”

“Only cause I begged her to,” I reply. “I was worried about you.”

“Why?”

“You're my friend. And you were ignoring me.”

“Yeah, well, that happens sometimes.”

“Don't do it to me.”

“I needed space.”

“Why?”

“Because-”

“Because I’m the reason why she dumped you.”

“Piper.”

“ _What_ , Tyler?” I ask. “It's true, isn't it? She saw us dancing, got jealous, stormed off, you chased her & then the next time I see you, you're _ignoring_ _me_. And then I find out that you broke up. So basically you got dumped cause of _me_.”

“We mutually broke up.”

I look confused. “Is that even a thing?”

“Yes.”

“But I'm right? About it being about me?” I ask. “About the way we were dancing.”

He sighs, breaking eye contact. “You know the world doesn't revolve around you.”

I scoff. “Way to make it _blatantly_ obvious I’m right by giving me a crap change of subject.”

"Ever consider the fact that I may be _avoiding_ the question cause it's my _private_ life  & I _don't_ want you to know about it?”

“Uh… I’m _involved_ ,” I reply. “That gives me the right to ask.”

He sighs. He then stands. “You should go.”

“Not until you tell me.”

“Piper, it's _four_ _a.m_!”

“So?”

“One of my brothers may be staying at Lassiters tonight, but the other is here. What do you think is going to happen when it gets out that you’ve snuck into my room at four a.m?”

"We're friends.”

He looks shocked. “Piper, friends _don't_ sneak into each other's bedrooms at four a.m to chat.”

“Well, I do.”

“ _Clearly_.”

“I’m sorry. She was… Nice.”

He shrugs. “People come, & people go.”

“And how many of them leave because of a friend?”

He stares at me. “You should go.”

“No.”

He sighs. “Piper, _please_.”

“No! I'm _not_ going until you explain things to me.”

“Now’s not the time.”

“Fine,” I say, crossing my arms. “I’ll just stand here till it is.”

He places his right hand on my back- my heart rate increases. I flashback to when we were dancing- how it felt to be against his chest, to be in his arms. How _incredibly good_ it was.

I try shaking the thought, the emotions from my mind. Just when I think I’ve succeeded, my eyes fall on his chest- the lamplight casting soft shadows across his abs. I swallow. _Hard_.

But I don't have much time to recover, for he guides me back over to the window.

“Leave.”

“ _No_.”

“Why?”

“We need to talk about this. Us.”

He sighs. “Not tonight.”

“No. _Now_.”

“Piper!”

“ _What?_ ”

“Why are you so determined for answers? Why _right_ _now_?”

“Because I _can't_ sleep! I can't sleep without knowing _exactly why_ I’m a part of your breakup. Why Mavi got so upset over us dancing together,” I say. “But above all… I wanna know _why_ you thought it was such a good idea to shut me out for the rest of the night.”

“You really want to know all that?”

“Yes, & I'm _not_ leaving till you do.”

“You _really_ want to know?”

“ _Yesssssss_.”

He stares down at me for an incredibly long minute. His lips crash into mine, & for a few seconds I’m too stunned to do anything. I kiss him back, eager to feed the longing I’ve tried to hide for too long.

He pulls back, holding me away when I try to chase.

“That… That _shouldn't_ have happened.”

“Why?”

“Because you're too young for me.”

“I'm the same number of years younger than you as Paige is with Mark.”

“They're different.”

“ _How?_ ”

“Because Paige isn't still at school!”

“Why are people so quick to use that against me? Why do people think that I can't do things, that I can't date someone _just_ because I'm sixteen? Why is it that Mum thinks she can _smother_ me with her parenting _despite_ the fact that I just spent two years living without her in Canada?” I ask. “I'm more mature than people think.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Mature? _Really_? How mature do you think you're being, sneaking in to my bedroom at four a.m when you're meant to be _not_ seeing me?”

“How mature do you think _you_ were when you chose to ignore me tonight?”

He stays silent.

“ _Urgh!_ ” I say, lifting my arms. “You know what? I’m _sick_ of this! The way you're pushing me out. We used to be able to talk about _anything_ , & now that you ‘mutually’ broke up with Mavi, I'm getting punished. So here you go, you're getting what you want. I’m leaving. And you _don't_ have to speak to me _ever again_.”

I turn & start to climb back out the window. I’m straddling the sill, when he grabs my right arm. I stop, looking at him.

"Mavi knows."

“Knows what?”

He sighs. “She figured out I… That I have feelings for you.”

“We're friends.”

He swallows. “What would you say if I said I might be falling for you?”

“Like that kiss didn't indicate that.”

He narrows his eyes. “You know the whole biting back act is infuriating,” He says. “You say you're more mature than people think, but yet you talk like you're immature.”

I tilt my head. “Oh, thanks for that. Talking to me about how you're falling for me, & then calling me immature.”

We stare at each other. He then steps closer, cupping my face with both hands. It feels so good having his hands on me like this.

"I shouldn't do this,” He says, softly.

I swallow. _Hard_. “Do what?”

He leans down, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. He pulls back, but before I know it his lips are back on mine. We're both desperate for each other. But the fact that I'm straddling his window rather than him is hampering us. So I push him back, breaking our kiss.

“We can't do this.”

“ _Piper_ ,” He pleads.

“No… I mean… Just not like this,” I reply. “Straddling your window _isn't_ the most romantic seating arrangement. I don't think it's even on the list…”

He drops his hands from my cheeks. “So what do you want to do?”

“Right now?” I glance down then up his body. I meet his gaze again. “All I want to do is fall asleep in your arms.”

“Piper, I…” He says, rubbing the back of his neck. “I don't think we should do that yet.”

“I don't mean have sex, stupid,” I reply, lightly hitting his arm. “I just feel like…” I sigh, looking at my hands. “It's gonna sound dumb, but I feel like I won't be able to sleep without you.”

He sighs, rubbing his face with his right hand. “Okay, but you're sneaking out in the morning & if your Mum catches on, I’m going to be _dead_.”

I climb back in, stepping closer to him. “I promise she _won't_ see me sneaking back in.”

He nods. I reach up & kiss him. He walks me over to his bed, getting me to sit down.

“Take your shoes off,” he says, turning away.

He crosses to his wardrobe as I undo my boots. I take my boots & socks off, watching him the whole time as he looks through his wardrobe.

“What are you doing?”

He returns with a shirt, & holds it out to me.

"What's that for?”

“For you to sleep in,” He replies. “I thought you wouldn't really want to sleep in your clothes, so here's an old shirt of mine. I can get a pair of shorts too, if you want. I’m not sure what you normally sleep in.”

“This is fine,” I reply, taking it.

He nods. “I’ll, uh… Go stand over there, with my back to you, so you can change.”

I nod. I watch as he walks back over to the window. I admire his toned body for a moment. Never thought I’d see him in nothing but his boxers so soon. I snap out of my thoughts, stand, & swap into his shirt. I drop my jeans & shirt on the floor beside the foot of his bed, & then walk over to him. I slip my hand into his, & he turns to look at me. His eyes slowly take me in, & I notice him swallow. _He wants me so bad!_

We walk back to his bed, & he gestures for me to get in first. I let his hand go, & crawl far enough over so he can get in. I lie down, tucking my legs under the sheets. He then joins me, pulling the sheet up to cover us. I shift closer, turning so my back is to him, tucking my hair to my right side, intentionally leaving my neck exposed. He hooks his left arm around me, gently pulling me closer- pressing me flush against his chest. _I wonder what it would be like to make love to him…_

“Comfortable?” He asks.

“Very.”

He shifts, withdrawing his arm, & then the light flicks off. Seconds later, I feel his arm wrap around me again.

“Goodnight,” I say.

“Goodnight,” he replies.

I drift off to sleep, the last thing I remember is feeling him kiss the base of my neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back to Paige/Mark next!!!


	13. Paradise ... Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After spending their wedding night at Lassisters, Paige and Mark arrive at their secluded, romantic honeymoon accomodation. But the seclusion is short lived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... PARK!!! Honeymooning!!! Wooooo!!! Right??? Nope.

“One more step,” he says.

He's got both hands covering my eyes. I’ve had them shut for several minutes now, ever since halfway up the driveway. He wants our honeymoon accommodation to be “a surprise”.

“Okay, can I look now??” I ask. “This is actually terrifying!”

“Okay, okay, but I promise it will be worth it,” he replies. “Okay, stop.”

I stop, nervously waiting for him to say or do something.

“On the count of three, open your eyes, okay?”

“Okay!”

“One… Two… Three!”

I open my eyes as he drops his hands. I squint, suddenly back in the light. But I focus on what lies ahead of us. A wood cabin, nestled between the trees, with a well kept garden long the edges of the wooden veranda.

“So…” He says, wrapping his arms around my waist. “What do you think?”

“Uh…” I say, not sure what to say.

“I know it's not a lush hotel with our own chef, but…” He says. “I thought this is more romantic.” He kisses my cheek, before whispering into my ear. “And I’ll be your personal chef.”

I raise my eyebrow. “What are you going to cook?”

He steps round me, smirking. “You’ll find out as we go,” he says, bending his knees to be on my level. He presses his lips to mine. He then takes both my hands as he steps back. “Wanna see the inside?”

“Yes,” I reply, smiling.

He grins, stepping back and pulling me with him- making our way to the cabin.

“What about our bags?”

“I’ll get them later,” he says, pausing for a second so he can turn around cause we're at the steps up to the veranda.

He leads me up the steps & to the front door. He unlocks the front door, pushing it open a bit before turning to me.

“We going in or are we just going to stand here?” I ask.

He smirks.

“What?”

“Just admiring how beautiful my wife is.”

“Awwww!” I reply, blushing. I roll onto my tiptoes & kiss him.

He rests his forehead against mine, & we stand in each other's embrace for a long minute.

“I want to carry you over the threshold,” he softly says.

“Is that a good idea? You're still recovering-”

“Let me do this, Paige,” he says, eyes pleading. “I want to carry my wife in.”

I nod- _how can I resist when you call me your wife?_ I can't believe we can call each other husband  & wife now!

He steps to my left, & lifts me up- his right arm behind my back, left arm behind my knees. I wrap my arms around his neck. He then steps towards the door, turning just at the threshold so his left side & my feet enter first.

He stops a few steps inside, & I take in the cabin’s exterior. It's more beautiful than I thought. A simple kitchen to our right, looking out the front, with a beautiful oak dining table. On the other side of that, is a door into the bathroom. To our left, the lounge- a couch, two armchairs with a coffee table on a large rug… And, oh my! A fireplace!

“Oh _wow_!” I say.

He puts me down, slips his hand in mine & leads me across the room to the back left corner.

“You haven't seen the best part,” he says.

He pushes the wall, revealing a hidden door. He leads me through, leading me up a staircase to another door. He stops, hand on the handle.

“Ready?” He asks.

“Ready.”

He opens the door, pushing it all the way open and waiting for me to go first. I step past him, letting go of his hand, & gape. It's a large bedroom- lots of space, a large bed, & across the other side, instead of a fourth wall is a balcony. I cross to it, discovering it looks down to the level below. I turn back to him, & gape.

“I’ll take that as you love it,” he says, leaning against the doorframe.

“I’ll love it more if you come over here,” I reply.

He crosses to me, smiling as he places his hands on my hips. I take hold of his shirt, pulling him in so we can kiss.

****

I head out to the car, to get our bags like I promised her. I open the boot, reaching in to grab our bags- but stop as my fingers brush the handles. I freeze- _something doesn't feel right. Like I'm being watched..._

I straighten, & scan the surrounding area- aware of every noise. But nothing strikes me as unusual. I sigh, turning my attention back to our bags. _It's nothing. Just relax, & enjoy your honeymoon._

I grab our bags, shut the boot & head back to the cabin. I pause on the veranda, taking a moment to push the bad vibe from my mind. I don't want to worry Paige.

****

**2 hours later**

We're lying in bed, her on top of me, both of us naked. Her head is resting on my chest as I lazily trace patterns on her back.

“Can we spend our whole honeymoon right here?” She asks. “I don't want to move.”

I smile. “Sure, babe.”

“How about forever?”

I chuckle. “You won't want to be lying on me like this in a few months,” I reply. “Soon enough, our little one will be big enough you'll be showing.”

She groans, lifting her head up. She lays her hands on my chest, one on top of the other, & then rests her chin on her hand. “I'm going to be so _biiiiiiiiig_!” She whines.

“Awww, but I’ll still love you, & find you so beautiful.”

She smiles.

“And look at it this way,” I add, rubbing her back. “In eight months, we’ll have our little one. With your cute nose…” I tap her nose & she smiles. “And your lips,” I add, brushing over her lips with my thumb.

“And your smile,” She replies. “And your beautiful eyes.”

“Yours are too.”

“They're _nothing_ compared to yours. They're so beautiful. I love staring into those hypnotising hazel pools.”

I smile. “I can't wait to meet her.”

She frowns slightly. “Do you think we're having a girl?” She asks. “What about having a son?”

“I’d love a son,” I reply. “But I really want a daughter.”

Tears fill her eyes. “ _Awwww!!!!!_ ” She says. “You're going to be the best dad.”

“Just like you’ll be the best mum.”

She shakes her head. “No, I won't.”

“Hey,” I softly say, cupping her cheek. “Stop thinking you're going to be terrible. Cause I know that you will be _amazing_.”

“Nothing compared to you,” She replies. “You're so good with kids.”

“And so will you,” I reply. “You just have to not let your fears hold you back, Paige. I’ve seen how amazing you can be. You just have to follow your instincts.” I gently rub my thumb back & forth over her cheek. “Besides, once you have our little girl in your arms, all these fears, all these worries… They're going to fade away.”

“I hope so.”

“I _know_ it will,” I reply. “Your maternal instincts will kick in. And you’ll have me there to support. And your Mum is just across the road… So is Susan  & Sonya. Oh, & Amber! You're not alone.”

She leans forward, pressing a soft kiss on my lips. She pulls back, but I slide my hand around to the back of her head & pull her back. She moans as I deepen the kiss, pressing herself against me. I roll us, so she's now underneath me, & we make slow, passionate love.

****

I stir, reaching out my left arm to touch him… But finding only sheets. I open my eyes, confirming that I’m alone in the bed. I sit up, wondering where he could be- & that's when the smell wafts up from below. I get out of bed, pulling on my robe. I cross to the balcony as I tie my robe shut. I smile as I clap eyes on him, busily working away in the kitchen.

I come downstairs, almost reaching the kitchen before he sees me.

“Heyyyy,” He says, smiling as he steps over to greet me with a kiss.

“Hey,” I reply. “Waking up to find you not there isn't a very nice feeling, especially when we're on our honeymoon.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” He says, wrapping his arms around me, his hands splayed across my back. “But I had to come get started on our dinner.”

I raise my eyebrow. “And what are we having?”

I try looking around him at it, but he stops me.

“That, my dear,” he says. “Is something you’ll find out when it's ready.”

I pout. He kisses me.

“Now,” he says. “Go back upstairs, get dressed & this will be ready.”

“Okay,” I reply, before kissing him.

****

When I come back down, dressed in a loose-fitting dress, barely any make-up & my hair out, I find him kneeling in front of the fireplace. He's shifted the coffee table to one side, arranged pillows on the rug for us to lean against, & is currently trying to light the fire.

“I’m _really_ liking this _very_ romantic side of you,” I say, leaning against the wall.

He looks at me, & smiles. “Just spoiling my wife on our honeymoon.”

“You _are_ aware that, by doing so, you're setting the bar _extremely_ high for future events, right?”

He stands, crosses to me, taking me in his arms. “The _only_ thing I care about right now is showing you that I love you,” He says. “I just want this to be about us- you, me,  & our little one.” He tucks my hair behind my left ear. “Our peaceful, romantic getaway… Secluded & a world away from all the troubles.”

He leans in, claiming my lips.

****

“Mmmm-mmmm!” I say as I lean back on the cushions. “That was _deeeelicious_!”

He smiles, placing our plates on the coffee table beside the now empty platter that once held our dinner- lasagna cupcakes, honey-lime chicken skewers (that were _devine!!!_ ) & veggie skewers. He turns back to me & shifts closer.

“We’ll rest for a bit, let that all go down, & then I’ll go get our dessert out of the fridge.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You made dessert too? Oooo!”

“It's nothing spectacular,” he replies. “Just… Chocolate dipped strawberries.”

“ _Ohhh_ , that sounds _sooo_ good!”

He smiles. “Strawberries, dipped in dark chocolate,” he says, leaning in to kiss me. “Drizzled with white chocolate.”

“Oh, you _definitely_ know how to spoil a girl with food.”

“Only for you,” he whispers, lips ever so slightly brushing mine.

We're about to kiss when glass shatters. We both look in the direction, rising onto our knees to see beyond the couch. One of the nine panes of glass in the kitchen window above the sink is broken- _a bullet hole_.

The other panes are next, all being hit at once- the train of bullets making its way along the front side of the house, a few piercing through the door. Mark tackles me, pushing us onto the rug. He covers me with his body, shielding me just as the nearest window is hit with a slew of bullets. He rests his head on mine, his arm shielding our faces from the glass as it shatters all over us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will they be okay? And who is shooting at them?


	14. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the wake of the shooting, will they be okay?

Silence.

“Paige?” He asks, so worried he’s panicking.

I open my eyes & he sighs, resting his forehead on my shoulder.

“Are you okay?” I ask.

“I am now,” he says, sitting up & looking me in the eyes. “Are you okay?”

I nod.

“Good. We gotta go.”

He helps me sit up, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“Okay, here's the plan,” he says. “We're going to crouch, & head to the back door.” He points to the door, which is across the other side by the bathroom.

“And then what?”

“I’ll check out what's happening, & then call for help.”

I nod. We rise to a crouch, & head for the back door- Mark keeping himself to my right, between me & the front of the cabin. We reach the back door, & he gets me to wait, still crouching, as he retrieves his mobile from the kitchen bench. He slowly rises, just far enough to unlock the back door & open it. He pokes his head out, checking to see if there's any danger. He then signals for me to go out first, pointing to our left. I head that way, feeling his left hand on my back. My heart is _pounding_.

I pause near the corner of the cabin, & Mark quietly shifts to my right side, never taking his left hand off my back.

“How you holding up?” He whispers.

“ _Terrified_ ,” I whisper back.

He kisses me. “We're going to be okay.”

“I always feel safe when you're around.”

He smiles. He then checks behind us, before slowly leaning forward to check round the corner. He gently pushes my back, & I take a step forward. We turn the corner, rising a little as we walk side-by-side down the side of the cabin. We're standing by the time we reach the front corner. We stop, just shy of the corner, Mark looking back the way we came to make sure we're safe. He then unlocks his mobile, bringing up the camera- he holds it out, just far enough past the cabin to snap a photo, before bringing it back to him. He looks at the photo.

“So?” I ask.

He turns it around so I can see- no one’s there.

“ _Please_ tell me that means they’ve gone!”

“I hope so.”

“So what now?”

“I call the Beechworth station, get them to come out.”

I nod. “And… What if they're still here?” I ask, trying to hide my panic from my voice. “You don't have your gun.”

“Hey,” he softly says, pulling me in & wrapping his arms around me. “We're going to be okay.”

I wrap my arms around him, holding his shirt tightly. Being in his arms makes me feel so safe.

****

We head back inside, Mark feeling like we're too exposed outside. He guides me up to our bedroom, I kick off my shoes & I crawl onto our bed, burying myself in the pillows. Mark joins me a few seconds later, sitting on the quilt, keeping guard. I shift one pillow, resting my head on it, gripping it tightly as I watch him call the Beechworth station. He requests to speak to Sergeant Jacob Coggin- Mark had told me outside he has a friend at the station. He spends a while on the phone, talking Jacob through what had happened.

“Okay, thanks Jacob,” He says. “See you shortly.”

He hangs up, lying down on the other side of the pillows. He presses a kiss to my forehead.

“They're on their way,” He says. “He says it's a good sign we haven't seen them afterwards. It means they’ve gone. We just have to stay put.”

I toss the pillow I’m hugging behind me, reaching out to him. He meets me halfway, pulling me against him, holding me tight.

****

Mark creates a tent in the corner in front of the wardrobe- draping a blanket over the two chairs up here, arranging the pillows from our bed on the floor inside the tent so we have something soft to lie on. I crawl in, curling up on the pillows & wait for Mark to join me.

But he doesn't.

I roll onto my back, eyes on the opening to the tent. Mark isn't there. I panic.

“ _Mark?!_ ” I say, not hiding how freaked out I am.

He doesn't respond.

“ _Maaaarrrkkkk!!!_ ” I scream, tears streaming down my face.

He comes into my line of sight, quickly dropping to his knees with a blanket in hand. He drops the blanket, cupping my face with both hands. I grip his upper arms, holding so tight my knuckles turn white. I’m crying so much, it takes several minutes for me to calm down. Eventually, I collapse against him, resting my right side against his chest. He wraps his arms around me, rubbing my back soothingly as he rests his head on mine.

“I’m sorry,” He says. “I’m _so_ sorry.”

“Where did you go?” I ask, gripping his arm.

“I was getting the blanket, but then remembered we hadn't locked the back door, & I was so focused on that, I didn't even _think_ to tell you where I was going,” He says, before kissing the top of my head.

We just sit there, holding each other. Exhausted, I fall asleep in his embrace.

****

“Paige,” He says.

I open my eyes, hoping it was all a bad dream. My eyes focus, & I find myself still in the makeshift tent. I groan, snuggling even more into him.

“Paige,” He says again. “We have to get up. Jacob & his colleagues are here.”

I sit up a little, still keeping near him. I see red & blue flashing lights illuminating the lower level. Mark shifts to leave, but I grab him & he stops.

“What if it's _not_ Jacob?” I ask. “What if it's whomever it was shooting at us, pretending to be the police to make sure that we're dead?”

He cups my face with both hands. “I know you're worried, but it's Jacob. He said he'd text when they get here, & before you ask, we have a special way of confirming that it's us in these sort of situations. It's him. Trust me.”

I hesitate & then nod. He crawls out of the tent, waiting for me just outside. I crawl out & stand. He leans back in, grabs the blanket & wraps it around me. We put on our shoes- he helps with mine- & then he leads me downstairs, holding my hand the whole time. He holds my hand tighter as we cross to the front door. My eyes drift over the destruction- our beautiful honeymoon destroyed. _Obliterated_.

He opens the front door, the flashing police lights blinding me for a few seconds. He guides me down the front steps, & over to a man about Mark’s age- blonde haired, similar height to Mark & surprisingly in casual clothes.

“Mark,” he says, holding out his hand.

“Jacob, hey,” Mark replies, shaking his hand.

“And you must be Paige,” Jacob says, holding his hand out to me.

But I can't manage shaking it.

“Don't worry,” he says, lowering it. “I understand your hesitation. Given what you’ve gone through tonight, I don't blame you.”

“So what's going to happen?” Mark asks.

“Well, our initial look points to there being three gunmen.”

Mark nods. “Sounded like there were about that many.”

“We’ll need to examine inside, see if there's any bullets we can send to the lab for examination, to determine the type of gun,” Jacob says. “And we’ve arranged somewhere for you to stay in Beechworth. With officers outside to keep watch. We're convinced they’ve left, but… Just to make sure, there’ll be two officers outside to keep watch.”

“Thanks, Jacob.”

“No worries. Just doing my job. Glad to see you're both safe.”

“Yeah," Mark replies, wrapping his arm around me & pulling me close. "We were fortunate enough to be sitting on the floor when it all happened.”

Jacob looks surprised. “ _Very_ lucky.”

“Before we go, can we go back inside & collect our belongings?”

“Certainly,” Jacob replies. “Just don't disturb the crime scene.”

“I’d never do that.”

Jacob nods. “Just making sure,” he replies. “I’ll also need you to leave the key, so we can access the cabin when you're not here.”

“Sure.”

“Do you have any idea who would do this?”

Two names jump to mind.

That's when I find my voice-

“Dimato and Michelle.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is Paige right? What will happen, now that their honeymoon has been destroyed?


	15. Coming Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All Paige wants to do is go home. Go home & forget the horror. But she has to first relive the pain when she gives her statement. But that's not all she's faced with...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Brace yourselves!!! (And remember- Not everything is as clear as it seems!)

I’d offered to go get our belongings by myself, but she had refused. She's distraught & just wants to be with me. So I took her back upstairs & she sat quietly on the bed while I packed our things, the police busy examining the scene below.

Jacob arranged for the two officers that will be watching us to drive us into Beechworth to the hotel we’ll be spending the rest of tonight at. She's quiet the whole car ride- hand holding mine as she rests her head on my shoulder, wrapped up in my navy blue hoodie. It's her favourite.

We check in to the hotel, the officers helping us with our bags. They see us to our room, before heading outside to their car to keep watch. I close our room’s door, turning around to her, finding she's kicked off her shoes already & is curling up in bed, still in her clothes. I cross to the bed, take off my shoes & jacket, & join her. I pull the covers up over us, settling in right behind her, wrapping my arm around her & holding her close.

We don't get much sleep. Paige kept waking up, having nightmares of the shooting, always ending up crying so much she was shaking as I held her. After the third time, she said she didn't want to try to sleep again tonight, & so we lay in bed, talking. I sent Jacob a text, requesting that we come in & do our statements first thing. _I need to get her far away from here._

****

Jacob sent me at text at 6 a.m., agreeing to my request & suggested we meet up at a café for breakfast at 6:30 before heading to the station. So I sent off a quick reply saying we’ll meet him there, before turning my attention back to Paige.

“Come on,” I say, moving off the bed.

“Where are you going?” She asks.

“ _We_ need to have a shower,” I reply. “We're meeting Jacob in half an hour for breakfast,  & then head to the station to give our statements.”

She shakes her head. “I don't want to.”

I sit on the bed, close to her, & place my hand on her arm. “We’ll just tell them what happened & then we can go,” I say, gently rubbing her arm. “We can go home. Be far away from this place.”

She shakes her head. “Can we just go home?” She pleads. “I don't want to remember all of that!”

“I know, babe, I want to forget it too,” I reply. “But we need to. They’ll need our statements to help find who attacked us.”

“Can't it just be yours?”

“Come here.”

She sits up, shifting closer.

“I would, but I know that you're not in the right state of mind. You're going to have another panic attack if I leave you, & I don't want to put you through that,” I say, cupping her face. “Not when you don't know anyone else. You’ve been through enough. So just come with me. I promise you I won't leave your side.”

She hesitates, & then nods. “I’ll hold you to that.”

I smile, laughing a little. “You have my word,” I reply. “Now… Lets get in the shower.”

She frowns.

I get up, & pull her up. I hold her in my arms. “I’ll do all the work. All you have to do is stand there.”

She slowly nods. I hold her hand, leading her into the bathroom. I turn on the shower so it can heat up while we get undressed. I strip off, before helping her. I place a kiss on her forehead before checking the water temperature. I step in first, & turn back to her, holding both hands out to her. She takes my hands & steps in. I guide her to stand just under the stream of water, & shut the door. I wash us both, always doing her first. She relaxes a little when I wash her hair, massaging the shampoo into her roots. When we’ve both got clean hair, I get her body wash & rub it all over her. I even draw a heart with the bubbles on my chest, smiling when she laughs. I rinse it off both of us & kiss her before turning the water off.

I get out, grabbing us each a towel & return to her. She's squeezing the excess water from her hair, so I wait a moment. She takes her towel, wrapping it around her as I wrap mine around my waist & secure it. I help her out.

“Thanks,” She says, smiling.

“Anything for you.”

She kisses me. We dry off, & she dries her hair while I go get dressed. I come back & she's still drying it. So I help. As she finishes styling it, I check my phone- 6:25 a.m.. So I send Jacob a quick text saying we're running late.

She emerges from the bathroom, quickly dresses- jeans, a loose fitting shirt & my hoodie. She pulls on her shoes, grabs her handbag & we leave.

It takes us about 10 minutes to walk to the café, walking arm in arm. I open the café door, holding it open for her. Jacob is seated at a table at the back, & we make our way over.

“Sorry we're late,” I say, as we sit.

“Don't be. It's early,” Jacob says. “Besides, given what you went through last night, I’m not going to be mad at you.”

I smile.

“So how are you both?”

I look at Paige, who is staring at her hands. “We're okay.”

“It's understandable,” Jacob says. “Now… What would you like? My shout.”

“Jacob, that's not necess-”

“But it's happening, Mark. After all you’ve been through, it's the least I can do.”

“It's very nice of you,” Paige says. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

****

“It can't be that bad!” Jacob jokes, watching Paige push her food around.

“Are you okay?” I ask, placing a hand on her shoulder.

She nods. “Just not hungry.”

“Well, you should try to have it. At least a bit more,” I reply, leaning in. I continue, softly. “For our baby.”

“Baby?” Jacob asks.

I look at him, he has an eyebrow raised.

“Sorry, didn't mean to be intrusive,” he says.

“It's fine.”

“Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

“You were always great with kids,” Jacob says. “Even when we were training, you were always better with them than I ever was.”

“So you two have known each other for a long time?”

Jacob nods. “First day of training. We were inseparable.”

Paige raises an eyebrow as she turns to look at me, surprised by this revelation.

“Yeah, & then when we graduated, you disappeared off to Queensland.”

“Like your career has been any better than mine.”

Jacob tells Paige more about our past. She smiles & laughs, & that makes me so happy- a glimpse of her usual self is so good to see! She even manages to finish off the rest of her food. Jacob excuses himself, going off to pay the bill.

“I’ll be right back,” I say to Paige, rising from my seat & kissing her head as I straighten.

I walk over to Jacob.

“I got this, remember?” Jacob asks as I approach, handing over the money to the cashier.

“Not what I was coming over for.”

“Oh?” He asks, turning back to the cashier, who gives him his change. “Thanks.”

We step away from the register.

“I need to ask you something.”

“Go ahead.”

“It's about Paige & her statement,” I reply. “I know this will be breaking regulations… I know it's better that it's just one on one, except for when a lawyer is needed but…”

“You want to sit in with her?”

I nod. “Yeah, if it's possible.”

He nods. “Given how on edge she has been, I think it's completely reasonable that she has moral support,” Jacob says. “You're the only thing she has that's familiar here. It will actually work in everyone's favour if you are there.”

“That's what I was thinking.”

“But on a few rules.”

“Sure.”

“You're there just for moral support,” Jacob says. “No adding anything to her statement. You just sit there, letting her tell it in her own words. You're just there so she has something familiar to ground her.”

I nod. “Agreed.”

He nods. “Then I have no problem with it.”

“Thank you.”

“I just want this process to be comfortable for her,” Jacob says. “She's very shaken from the ordeal, & given the circumstances, I'm not surprised. I’m happy to relax the rules if it means she gives her statement.”

****

I leap to my feet & walk across the interview room- _I can't breathe!!_

We’d been here for a while, giving our statements. Jacob suggested Mark go first, so we could leave straight after mine if we needed to. Jacob had let me sit in while Mark gave his- I sat to Mark’s left, listening to music on my iPod so I wouldn't have to hear the details.

And then it was my turn. Completing it was hard & slow, because I was so scared of remembering.

Mark crosses to me, stopping close enough to comfort me but far enough not to suffocate me more.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

I shake my head, fighting back tears. “I just want to go.”

“I know, babe,” He replies, placing his left hand on my back. “But you have to summon the strength to stay. You're almost done, & then we can go get our things & be on our way.”

I shake my head again.

“I’ll go get you some water,” Jacob says.

Mark looks at him & nods. I hear Jacob leave, shutting the door behind him. Mark cups my cheek.

“I know how much it's hurting to remember what happened,” he says. “But I also know that you're a fighter.”

I turn into his hand.

“So, please, Paige. Please just hang on just a little bit longer, & then we’ll be out of here.”

I nod. He presses a kiss to my forehead, & I grip his sleeves. He presses his lips against mine.

****

I wrap my arm around her as we leave the police station, her statement finally done. I press a kiss to her temple.

“I’m so proud of you,” I whisper against her temple.

“Can we go home now?”

I nod. “How about we get some food for lunch, eat in our hotel room, & then leave?”

She slowly nods. “Sounds good.”

****

He’s hovering as I climb into the passenger seat of his car. I get comfy & then turn to him.

“You know, for us to go, you _have_ to be in the drivers seat.”

He smiles. “I just wanted to make sure you're comfortable.”

I pout. “ _Awwww_ , you're too sweet!” I lean forward & kiss him.

He waits until I settle back in & do up my seatbelt. He then shuts the door, goes round & gets in. He does up his seatbelt & then looks at me.

“Let's go home,” he says, reaching over & rubbing my leg.

“Best thing I’ve heard _all_ day!”

He chuckles. “Even better than when I said I was buying you chocolate cake for dessert at lunch?”

I pretend to think it over. “Yes,” I say. “But ever so slightly.”

He laughs, smiling & shaking his head. He puts the key in the ignition, turns the engine on & then we’re off.

We're an hour into our trip, when exhaustion hits fast & hard. I try to stay awake, but my efforts only last a few minutes. I lean my head on the head rest, looking out the window, & drift off to sleep.

****

I wake, shaken by our car turning a corner too fast. I open my eyes- it's now night, the headlights illuminating the road ahead. We're going much faster than before. I look over at Mark- he’s very tense, gripping the wheel so hard, his knuckles are white.

“Mark?”

“Oh, sorry, babe,” he says, glancing over at me. “I didn't mean to wake you.”

“What's… What’s going on?”

“We're…”

“ _Mark_.”

He sighs. “We're being followed.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“There's been this car… It's been behind us for a while,” he says. “At first I thought it might be a coincidence, but they’ve made _every_ turn that we’ve made.”

“And it's not… A police escort?”

He shakes his head, before turning us round the bend in the road. “I called Jacob. He said he hadn't ordered one,” he says. “Besides, he would have told me if he had. He wouldn't want to freak us out.”

_So that means the shooters know we're not dead._

“What do we do?”

He accelerates. “We hope that I can outrun them.”

I look behind us, spotting the headlights not far behind us. _Way too close for my liking._

“Can't… Can't Jacob help?”

“We passed out of his jurisdiction about an hour ago.”

I cover my face with my hands. “We're _cursed!_ ”

“We're not, Paige.”

“Oh? So how about the fact that our honeymoon ended with us being _shot_ _at_ last night,  & now we're _speeding_ through basically bushland, trying to get away from someone who is trying to _kill us!_ ”

“Paige,” he says. “I know you're freaking out, but… Can you _please_ let me focus on getting us out of here?”

“Yes, okay. I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. I just want us to be safe.”

The words have barely left his mouth, when the headlights behind us vanish.

“OMG,” I say, double checking by looking behind us. “They've stopped.” I look at him. “Maybe they’ve decided it's too dangerous to keep pursuing us!”

“Paige, babe, please just sit properly,” he says. “I’m still going really fast here.”

I turn back to the front, sitting the way I should. Mark slows down a bit as we approach another bend. We turn it, Mark accelerating again as we come out, not seeing the hidden side road. I catch sight of headlights through the foliage as we approach.

“ _MARK, WATCH OUT!_ ”

He sees it, tries to brake but our speed works against us. The other ute slams into us, t-boning Mark’s ute. The force of impact jerks me sideways, my head slamming against the door.

And I black out.

****

“Mark?” I say, groggily.

I force my eyes open, finding that our car is now off the road- windows smashed in, dents in the roof and my door. I ignore the pain screaming through my head, more determined to find out what's happened to Mark than my own injuries.

“Mark?” I ask again, turning to my right to where he is.

He's slumped back, very still and head turned away from me. I reach out to him, desperate to know that he's okay. I grab his hand, which is outstretched to me, gripping it as if it's my lifeline.

And then he groans, turning to look at me. I sigh, smiling at him.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey, babe,” He says, smiling & squeezing my hand. “I love you.”

He stops breathing.

“Mark?” I ask, starting to panic.

I scramble to get my seatbelt off, moving to be closer to him. I cup his face in my hands.

“ _Mark_? Come on, Mark! Come back to me!”

But he doesn't move.

“No, no, no, no, _NOOOOOOOO!!!!_ ”

Tears stream down my face, & I bury my face into his shoulder.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wait... What?


	16. A Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to look a little brighter. But what secret is Paige hiding?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I'm sorry for the gap between last dhapter & this. I got pretty emotional writing this one, & given how I was writing it off the back of the last one, I was emotionally drained & in need of a break. Plus, I needed to get my head around some research I've done for something I've just started to add.
> 
> But here it is. Enjoy! :)

I open my eyes, bolting up, my seatbelt jamming, stopping me. I take deep breaths in, taking in my surroundings- it's early dusk, & the car isn't moving. In fact, it's parked. I look over to the drivers side, finding it empty. This just drives my fear shooting up.

“Hey,” he softly says, & I feel his hand on my left thigh.

I quickly look left, relieved to see him safe & unharmed as he stands in my door’s opening, his left hand on my thigh, looking worried but with a slight smile. I scramble to undo my seatbelt, shoving it aside as I turn so my feet are on the side of the car, & throw my arms around him. He wraps his arms around me tight as I bury my face into his neck & cry. He rubs my back soothingly.

After a while, I calm down enough to pull back & look at him. I see the worry in his eyes & expression.

“You fell asleep, & then a while later you started calling out my name,” he says, tucking loose strands of hair behind my right ear. “You sounded really upset. So I pulled over. What happened?”

I swallow, still so shaken by it that I can't find the words. I then tell him everything. The whole nightmare from start to finish. We're both in tears by the end.

He pulls me in, wrapping his arms around me. “It's okay, I'm here.”

****

The last of the sunlight is almost gone as we turn down the street leading to Ramsay Street. Neither of us had spoken since we started back on the road again, after my nightmare, & Mark had nearly broken the speed limit a few times in a desperate attempt to get us home sooner.

We turn into Ramsay Street, & I’ve never been so relieved to see the semi-circle of our tight-knit community. Mark pulls into his- _our_ driveway,  & I catch sight of Mum, Dad, Tyler & Aaron waiting on the balcony as Mark stops in front of the garage. He turns off the engine & hops out. I sit, _frozen_. Mark opens my door, leaning in to unbuckle my seatbelt. He turns my face to look at him.

“We're home,” he says softly. “You're safe. _We're_ safe.”

He presses a soft kiss to my lips, & then helps me out. As Mark shuts the door, I watch Mum, Dad, Tyler & Aaron come down. Mum pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around her, watching over her shoulder as Dad and Mark shake hands. Mum pulls back.

“How are you?” She asks.

“Shaken.”

She fights back tears.

“Any idea who could do this?” Dad asks Mark.

“The only ones we could think of is Dimato & Michelle,” Mark replies.

“Wouldn't put it past them,” Tyler says, crossing his arms. “They're _very_ violent people.”

Mark nods. “And they're out to kill us.”

“Uh… Why are you all here? How do you know all of this?”

They all look at Mark.

“I… Uh… Rang them while you were asleep in the car,” He says. “I thought you'd appreciate having a welcome home party waiting for you.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

He smiles, stepping closer & kissing my forehead. I wrap my arms around him. I rest my head on his chest as he wraps his arms around me.

“Dinner’s all organised,” Aaron says. “We got take away, that's in the oven keeping warm.”

“Sounds good,” Mark says.

“You two go inside,” Brad says. “We’ll get your bags.”

“Thanks, Brad.”

****

Mark pulls me onto his lap as we settle at the table for dinner. Aaron & Tyler try to lift the mood by telling funny stories as we eat. I force myself to smile. But all I want to do is curl up in bed with Mark, & sleep this all away.

“You gotta eat more,” he says, quiet enough that only we can hear. “I know you’ve lost your appetite, but you just have to eat.” He places a hand on my tummy. “I can't handle us getting through all of this, only to lose our little girl.”

I pick up my fork, collecting a forkful of food, & eat it. He kisses my shoulder.

****

After dinner, there's a knock on the door. Az goes & opens it, returning with Karl close behind.

“Hi everyone,” he says.

The others say hi, except for Mark, who stays silent. Mum, Dad, Aaron & Tyler head into the kitchen as Karl steps over to us, still sitting at the dining table.

“How are you?” Karl asks us.

“I’m okay,” Mark says. “Paige… Isn't.”

He nods. “What exactly can I help with?”

Mark gestures for Karl to take a seat. He does.

“Paige has had… Trouble sleeping.”

“The shock will do that.”

“How about nightmares?”

“That too.”

“Karl, I’m worried. She's _barely_ slept since it happened. And when she does, she _always_ wakes up screaming from a nightmare,” Mark says. “She's lost her appetite,  & I’m worried. Not just for her, but for our baby.”

Karl nods. “Paige, you _need_ to eat. Even if you're not feeling hungry, your baby relies on you for their nutrients. So even if you don't want to eat, you need to for your baby.”

I nod. “I’ll try to do that.”

He smiles. “Just keep your fluids up too. I recommend you eat regularly. Small meals, with snacks. Your body will realign & your appetite will return,” he says. “As for the nightmares… There's nothing I can do to prevent them. However, I can give you some tablets that will help you sleep. Don't worry, they're safe. They won't harm your pregnancy.”

He reaches into his bag, pulling out a small bottle of pills.

“I don't have many with me,” he says. “But these will last you tonight. I’ll write out a prescription, & you can go get more in the morning.”

Mark takes the bottle. “Thanks, Karl.”

Karl nods. “No worries.”

He gets out his prescription pad, & writes out the prescription. He hands it to Mark. He then gets another pad, & writes something else down.

“This is the name of the psychologist at the hospital,” he says, ripping the page off & placing it on top of the prescription. “I recommend you call tomorrow & book an appointment. I’ll let her know to expect you. It would be good for you to talk to someone about it.”

I shake my head.

“Paige, I know you’ve been through a lot, & you're wanting to forget it all,” Karl says. “But you can't bottle it up inside. You need to talk to someone.”

****

I visit the psychologist the next day, but the emotions get too much & I flee. Over the next three weeks, I get better at hiding my nightmares & freak outs. Avoiding the news has helped. And the case has stalled- there's no evidence to link the shooters to Michelle & Dimato. Mark is furious. We know it's them, we just can't legally _prove_ it.

"Can you please stop pacing?” I ask him, watching him pace back & forth in front of me in the hospital waiting room. “You're making me nauseous.”

He stops & sits down next to me. He leans forward, resting his forearms on his knees, & then licks his lip. “I'm just… _Frustrated_.”

“About the case?” I ask, placing my right hand on his back & rub it.

He nods. “They were clever. There's _nothing_ to point to them except for us. And that's just not enough to arrest them!”

“We’ll get them,” I reply. “Something will come up that will link them to the shooters.”

He looks at me. "It's been _three weeks_.”

I nod. “You can't give up. And getting frustrated isn't going to help. You have to keep calm.”

He sits back, twisting his body to face me. “I'm trying to not let my feelings cloud my judgement,” He says. “But…” He sighs. “They came after us. On our honeymoon.” He places a hand on my tummy, tears filling his eyes. “Our baby… They put our baby's life in danger. I _can't_ let them get away with it.”

"I know,” I reply, placing my hand over his. “But you have a tendency to get so focused on a case. I love how passionate you get, but… In cases like this, you need to step back.” I cup his face with both hands. “I'm scared that you’re going to get hurt, & I’ve already almost lost you twice recently. I _refuse_ to go through that a third time.”

He rests his forehead on mine.

We get called in to the examination room, & we walk into the room hand in hand. Karl had recommended, given the stress of recent events, that we have an ultrasound at 7 weeks to check that everything is going well. When I booked it, they said it would be best to have it done transvaginally (through the vagina)- cause that provides a clearer picture. We're left alone so I can change into a medical gown. I sit down on the special examination chair, Mark standing to my left & we wait. We don't have to wait too long for my obstetrician to arrive.

“Hi Paige & Mark,” she says, coming in.

She's not much older than I am, maybe late twenties early thirties, with blonde hair swept back in a high ponytail. She shuts the door & crosses to us.

“I’m Doctor Melinda Brooke. Now… Dr Kennedy referred you to me. He mentioned you’ve had some stressful weeks since your pregnancy started.”

I nod. “He suggested we do this. Just to make sure everything is going well.”

She nods. “You may feel a little discomfort, but that's normal for this form of ultrasound. The nurse would have told you that it's clearer this way.”

I nod. She puts a pair of gloves on.

“For this, I’m going to need you to put your legs in the stirrups, & lie back,” She says. "Usually, we don't need the stirrups, but I find it gives me better access & you'll feel more comfortable in that position."

I do so, & she covers my hips & legs with a sheet. She then takes the transducer from the ultrasound machine, along with a bottle of lubricant gel. She squirts a bit of gel on the transducer, returning the bottle to the machine. She flicks the ultrasound screen on, pushes it closer to my feet & then sits down on a chair between my legs.

“Okay, here we go,” She says. “You ready?”

I nod. A few seconds later, I feel the transducer pushing inside of me. I involuntarily suck in a deep breath. Mark takes my hand & I smile at him. It's a silent & long process, Dr Brooke not speaking as she watches the screen. A few times she presses buttons. A few instances make me want to ask her what's going on, but I know she'll speak if she finds anything wrong. I’m not sure how long, but it feels like an eternity before she speaks.

“I’ll send a full report to Dr Kennedy, but I can say now that everything is looking really good.”

Mark & I simultaneously sigh.

“Development is going perfectly. Both embryos are well within standard lengths- 7 & 6 millimetres respectively.”

Mark & I look at each other, both surprised. Mark looks at Dr Brooke first, I follow suit a few seconds later.

“Sorry,” He says. “Did I hear you right?” He pauses, brow furrowing. “Did you say _both_ embryos?”

She looks surprised. “Oh my God! I am _so_ sorry! I assumed you knew that already. It should have shown on your pregnancy test through higher readings than what's considered normal pregancy levels," She says. She quickly adds, "Normal meaning a single embryo."

I shake my head, eyes wide.

“Please forgive me,” She says. “I didn't mean for you to find out that way.”

“Uh… That's okay,” I reply. “But… Elaborate something for me.”

“Anything.”

I nervously lick my lips. “So… Uh… Both embryos…” I say. “That means _twins_ , right?”

She nods. She then leans forward, turning the machine’s screen so we can all see it. I look at it- it looks almost like static, except for a dark patch of nothing in the very centre of the screen.

“See here?” She asks, pointing to two blobs of more static in the dark patch. “That's your embryos. Uh… Babies.”

My breath catches in my throat. _Twins_.

“As I was saying,” Dr Brooke says. “Everything is looking really good. They're both healthy looking, viable… So whatever the stressful events were, they haven't had an impact on your pregnancy.”

“Thank you,” I reply.

“No worries,” she replies. She pulls the transducer out, & wipes it clean. She places it back where it belongs on the machine. “Now… Would you like me to organise a copy of the ultrasound for you to keep? You probably won't be able to really understand what's shown, but most couples like to have a copy on file. I can also print out a photo for you.”

I nod. “Both.”

“Make that two photos, please,” Mark says. Feeling my confused stare, he looks at me & adds. “So we can both have a copy.”

Tears swell in my eyes.

"Certainly,” Dr Brooke replies. She pulls her gloves off & fiddles with the machine for a minute. “I’ll be back shortly. While you wait, you can get dressed.”

I take my legs out of the stirrups, & sit up, drawing my legs together so I’m not flashing anyone. Dr Brooke leaves. Mark walks around till he's standing right in front of me, between the stirrups. I part my legs, letting him step closer & I hold onto his shirt at his hips as he cups my face with both hands.

“Twins!” He says.

“Twins!”

We both smile as he leans in, claiming my lips for a slow kiss.

He tells me he’ll wait for me in the waiting room while I change. As I change, my thoughts drift back to our honeymoon night. Soon enough, _I can't breathe_. I drop my shirt  & grab hold of the chair for support. I close my eyes, pushing aside the bad memories & concentrate on breathing.

Once I’ve recovered, I finish getting changed & head out to Mark. Dr Brooke returns a minute later, giving us an envelope containing the DVD & the photos. We thank her & leave, Mark wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I smile as I look up at him. I hate keeping it from him- I hate not telling him that the nightmares & panic attacks are still happening, but… He has enough to worry about.

At least… _For now_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Paige is hiding the nightmares & panic attacks. But what do they mean? Is there a bigger problem hidden within?


	17. Exposed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the joyous news, things are finally looking up for Paige.
> 
> Right?
> 
> A familiar face makes a cruel comeback, & Paige can't hide her biggest secret any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the massive silence between chapters. This arc with Paige is getting very serious, and I just had to step away for a bit to clear my head so I could write... except I ended up moving to another fic- or like, three- and forgot to come back. But a good friend reminded me of the Tyler/Piper arc, and desperately wants me to continue. So I sought out this chapter and have finished it and the next chapter.
> 
> So... Enjoy!!!!

That night, we’re lying in bed together. I’m lying on my back with him on his side facing me to my left. He's propped up on his right arm, his left hand spread wide over my tummy. He's smiling.

“I can't believe it,” He says. “ _Twins_.”

“It's a big surprise,” I reply.

“ _Huge_ ,” He replies. “You ready to have two kids?”

I shake my head. “But I know that no one is, & I just have to take it a day at a time.”

He smiles. “Good to hear you’ve changed your tune.”

I smile. “Helps when I have my knight in shining blue armour at my side.”

He smirks, leaning in & kissing me.

“Do you mind if we keep this to ourselves?” He asks, resting his forehead on mine. “I want it to be just ours. A little secret, a little bit of hope that only we know of.”

“How long for? They're going to find out when I give birth.”

He laughs. “I don't mean for the whole pregnancy,” he says. “Just for a month or two.”

“Sure.”

He kisses me again.

****

The next morning, I wake to find myself alone in our bed. I bolt up- _where is he? Was the crash real & this is all a dream I created to hide away from the truth? Is he really dead & I’m in denial?_

And then the door opens & I flop back down in relief as I see him enter wearing just his boxers & with a tray of food. He places the tray down near the base of his side of our bed & crawls onto the bed. He leans over to hover above me.

“Morning,” he says, leaning down to kiss me.

“Mmmm morning,” I reply after our kiss.

“Sorry I wasn't here when you woke. I wanted to make us breakfast & then wake you up.”

“Awwww, you're so cute.”

He kisses me again. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

He leans back, shifting to grab the tray. I sit up, adjusting my pillows so I can lean back on them. He adjusts himself so he's sitting so close our arms brush. The breakfast looks delicious.

****

Mark leaves for work after breakfast, & I prep for my afternoon shift at Harold's. At 12:30pm, I collect my handbag & leave, knowing I need to leave so I have time to walk all the way there. I lock the front door behind me, & make my way down the steps & driveway. I diagonally cross the road from our driveway towards Mum’s, the way I always head off to work if I’ve slept at Mark’s- though I should start referring to it as my usual route. I’m just reaching Mum's driveway when it happens.

_BANG!_

I immediately drop to my knees, heart pounding. _I need to find cover._ So I rise to my feet, keeping low as I cross to the fence beside Mum's driveway. She's already at work, so her car is gone. I press my back against the fence, still staying low. I then check myself over for any injuries.

“No, no, no, _no!_ ” I say, discovering my upper right arm is bleeding.

I drop to my knees as I cry, covering my face with my hands. Mark had offered to drive me in early, but I had refused. I now regret that choice.

“Paige,” A familiar voice says.

I look up. Standing near me, with a small gun aimed at me is… _Dimato_.

“I want the last thing you see to be my face,” He says.

I stand up, & back away towards Mum's house. “Stay away from me.”

“Sorry, Paige, I can't do that.”

I back up, all the way to the house. He pins me to the wall, pressing the gun to my head.

“SOMEBODY HELP MEEEEEEEEE!!!!” I scream.

But no one comes. I clamp my eyes shut, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of him being the last thing I see. I think about Mark & our babies.

“Paige?” Nate says.

“Nate! Help!”

“Paige, open your eyes.”

I slowly do. Nate is standing where Dimato was, hands on my arms & looking worried.

“Nate… He… He was here.”

He frowns. “Who was?”

“D-D-Dimato.”

“No he wasn't.”

“He was!” I reply. I frantically look around, but there's no one else here. “He was here! He was _right_ here! And he was going to kill me. He… He had a gun to… To my head,  & he was… He was…”

“Paige, listen to me. You need to calm down, okay? Take a few deep breaths.”

I take a deep breath in- it's shaky when I inhale and exhale. That happens for the next few, & then my breathing returns to normal.

“Hey, look at me,” Nate says.

I do.

“Dimato wasn't here.”

“But he _was_ ,” I reply. “I _saw_ him.”

He shakes his head. “I saw it all, Paige. I was checking the letterbox. You were crossing the road, but you didn't see me.”

“There was a gunshot.”

“It was a car backfiring at the corner of the street,” he says. “I watched you, saw how freaked out you got. And then you were acting weird- backing towards the house, talking to someone who wasn't there. So I came over to see how you are.”

“So… So… He wasn't here?” I ask, tears blurring my vision.

He shakes his head. “Come on,” he says, guiding me off the wall & up the driveway. “I'm taking you back to mine so you can calm down.”

****

It's just before my lunch break, & I’m talking on the desk phone to someone who called in to make a complaint when Lauren walks in, looking really worried. I smile at her & point to a seat so she can sit while she waits. She sits down & I finish my call.

“We’ll look into it, & get back to you,” I say into the phone. “Goodbye.”

I hang up, handing the report to another officer, before I cross to Lauren. She stands as I approach.

“What's wrong, Lauren?”

“Uh… Nate rang me,” She replies. “He was unable to get hold of you, so… He rang me instead.”

I frown. “What? Why?”

She hesitates. “It's about Paige.”

I’m shocked and worried. “What? Oh my god, is she okay?”

She nods. “Sort of. At least now she is,” she replies. “She had a… Uh… I guess you can call it a panic attack. Outside my home. He said she freaked out over a car backfiring, thought it was a gun.”

“But she's okay?”

“He went over to her, to see if she was okay. He said she was screaming, believing Dimato-”

She stops when I turn away, heading back to the reception desk.

“I’m going on lunch early,” I tell the other officer.

He nods & I head for the door, guiding Lauren out ahead of me.

****

I’m sitting at Karl & Susan's dining table, trying hard to steady my shaking hand so I can drink the glass of water Nate got me. He's watching from the kitchen behind me, I think.

I hear footsteps approaching the front door, followed by the noise of the security door opening as I set the glass down on the table. I turn to look just as Mark & Lauren enter. He nods at Nate as he crosses to me. He drops to his knees at my left side, placing his left hand on my knee & right hand on my back. I look at my lap, before tilting left & fall against his chest. He wraps both his arm around me.

After a few minutes, he kisses my forehead & then pulls back just enough to make me look at him.

“I want to go talk to Nate for a few minutes, okay?” He asks. “I promise I’ll be back.”

I nod slowly. He kisses my cheek & then gets to his feet. I focus on my glass of water as he walks off.

****

“Hey Nate,” I say, approaching him & Lauren in the kitchen.

“Hey,” Nate replies.

“Thank you for helping her.”

“No worries. I wasn't going to leave her out there in that state.”

I nod. “Thank you anyway.”

He nods.

“How is she?” Lauren asks.

“Shaken,” I reply. “But I think she'll be okay.”

“I don't know about that,” Nate replies.

Lauren & I look at him, confused.

“I don't want to jump to conclusions, but…” Nate says. “She's showing signs of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.”

“What signs?”

“She's been having nightmares, right?”

I nod. “The first two weeks, yes. But they’ve died down.”

“Panic attacks like today, triggered by a noise that reminded her of a gun being fired, which led to her hallucinating Dimato.”

“She's also not been as bubbly as she usually is,” Lauren says. “I didn't want to alarm you by mentioning it, but I have noticed a few times at work, she seems to be… On auto pilot. Very… Flat.”

“That's another sign of PTSD,” Nate says. “And I assume she's been avoiding the news, maybe even social media?”

I sigh, running a hand over my face. “How could I be so _stupid_ to have not seen this?”

“Don't blame yourself, Mark,” Lauren says, placing a hand on my shoulder & gently squeezing it in reassurance. “You’ve had a lot going on since it happened. Besides, we both know that Paige is good at hiding things from us when she really doesn't want us knowing.”

I nod. “And the fact that we're having-” I catch myself just in time. “We’re having a baby.”

"Surely the stress of this is impacting on the baby's health?" Lauren asks.

“Everything was fine at the check-up yesterday,” I reply. “But… I don't know much about PTSD, but… If we let this go on, the stress will take a toll. We need to get this under control before it puts our baby's life in danger.”

“Has she talked to anyone about it?” Nate asks.

“Uh… she was seeing a psychologist three weeks ago,” I reply. “But she said she hated it, & stopped after one, maybe two sessions.”

“She should really try it again,” He replies. “It’s going to help her. And I’m here to help where I can.”

I nod. “That would be greatly appreciated,” I reply. “I should call the hospital, see if we can get an appointment for this afternoon.”

“And I’ll call my staff, arrange a replacement for Paige & myself.”

I manage to secure an appointment in an hour’s time, & Lauren not only organises the shift covers, but also calls Brad to tell him everything.

“We should head off,” I reply, crossing back to Paige, who hasn’t moved from the chair.

I place my hand on her shoulder. She gets up & leans against me. I kiss the top of her head.

“Thanks again, Nate,” I say.

“Again, no worries.”

Lauren, Nate & I say bye. We head out, Paige staying close beside me.

“You should have told me,” I quietly say to her as we walk down the path.

“You’ve been so stressed out trying to catch them,” She quietly replies. “I didn’t want to add to it.”

We stop at the end of the path. I push her chin up so she looks at me. “I’m _always_ here for you.”

“I’m sorry,” She replies. “I thought it would go away.”

“It’s okay,” I reply. “We’re going to take this on together. And it will.”

She steps closer, wrapping her arms around me as she rests her head on my chest. I wrap my arms around her, holding her close as I rest my head on hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Diverting off Paige for a little bit. Heavy storyline needs to be broken up a bit!


	18. Bury No More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper makes a big decision, but will Tyler agree? Later, Piper has a shock blast from the past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said last notes, taking a diversion for some lighter Piper/Tyler stuff.

Since the day after the wedding, Tyler & I had agreed we wouldn't take things further between us. Tyler said it wasn't fair on either of us to start a relationship when he's just come out of one- “It would feel too much like a rebound, & I don't want to do that to you.”

At first, it wasn't so hard. But as the days & weeks passed, it's been getting more complicated to hide how we feel.

It's been three weeks. Things have been… Intense. Our families are coping with the fact that Paige & Mark were attacked on their honeymoon, & it's made the whole street nervous. And Dad just heard that Paige has had a panic attack.

“What? Oh my god! Is she okay?” I ask.

“Nate calmed her down & called Mark & Lauren. Lauren says she's okay, but… They're going to take her to the hospital to see the councillor. I’m going to go too.”

I nod. “She’ll appreciate the support.”

“Are you sure? I know we had plans…”

“Nah, its fine. We can reschedule. Paige needs you.”

He steps over & kisses my head.

“Tell her I send my love.”

He smiles. “Will do. See you later.”

“Bye.”

I watch him leave, waiting till the door clicks shut before I sigh. I really hope she's okay. I think about how close Paige has come to dying lately, how Mark has too… I can't imagine losing someone the way they’ve each nearly have. That just makes me think about Tyler.

Before I know it, I’m heading into the backyard & over to the spot where I always scale the fence.

****

I’m lazily swimming in my pool, when I hear the all too familiar sound of the fence shifting slightly as Piper climbs it. I look over in time to see her jump down my side, crouching to steady herself upon landing.

“You know we have a front door,” I call out to her.

“I know,” She says, walking over. “But the fence is quicker.”

“Is that so?” I ask, climbing out of the pool.

I grab my towel & dry off a bit as she walks around the edge of the pool to me.

“Yeah, it saves several very important seconds.”

“And what's so important that you needed those seconds?”

“Haven't you heard?”

I frown. “Heard what?”

“Paige had a panic attack.”

My eyes widen in shock. “ _What_?”

“I don't know the details, cause I wasn't there. But Dad heard from Lauren, who heard it from Nate, who saw it all. She's okay, but she's going to talk to a councillor about it.”

“Oh, wow. That's serious.”

She nods. “I wanted to come see you.”

“Thanks, but… It wasn't really necessary,” I reply. “Not that I don't appreciate the gesture, it's just… I had no idea about it. Probably wouldn't have till tonight… How are you?”

“I’m… Okay.”

I frown. “You don't sound like it.”

She sighs. “It's just… It made me think about how much Paige & Mark have been through over the last month & a bit, & how terrifying it would be to loose someone I love the way that they have,” She replies. “And… Well… It… It made me think of you.”

I nervously lick my lip. “You know we can't go there.”

“Tyler,” She begs. “I _can't_ keep denying how I feel about you! What Mark & Paige are going through is hell, & I _can't_ stop thinking about what it would be like if something happened to either of us & I _never_ got the chance to say that I’m in love with you!” Her eyes fill with tears. “I don't want to keep burying my feelings. It's torturing me,  &… It’s just wasting time. I may not have much time with you, & I know that I don't want to waste however much time we have left.”

I look at her, trying to keep my feelings contained. But after that pleading, I can't. I drop my towel, gently hold her head in my hands, lower my face & press my lips against hers. She kisses me back, & it feels _so good_!

“Let’s take this to your room,” She whispers.

“Are you sure?”

She nods. “I’m ready to take the next step.”

I take her hand & lead her inside.

****

We reach his room & I lean in to kiss him but he steps back.

“I should have a shower.”

I frown. “Why?”

“Cause I smell like chlorine,” He replies. “And if we're gonna do this, I want to smell better than I am.”

I want to say that I don't care, but I know it will just cause problems. So I nod. He starts to pass by me on his way out, but stops next to me.

“I’ll be quick,” he says, before kissing my cheek.

I sit on the end of his bed & wait. It feels like an eternity. He comes back, clean & dry, wearing just his towel. He shuts his door, & turns back to me. My eyes drift slowly over his abs, following his v-line down until it slips under his towel. He sits down next to me.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” He asks.

I nod. “You're the only one I want to do this with.”

“You know… Losing your… Virginity, is… It's something you shouldn't-”

I cut him off with a kiss. “Thank you for being concerned. I find that very sweet of you, Tyler,” I reply. “But I want to do this.”

“Okay,” He replies. “But… We're gonna go slow, okay? I want you to find out things about you.”

“Like what?”

“Seriously? You haven't had the talk yet?”

I slap his arm. “Of _course_ I have! I just wanted you to clarify what you meant.”

“Oh, well… I just… I want you to discover what turns you on,” He says, rather nervously. “What you like… And what you don't.”

“Awwwww! You're so sweet!”

He smiles. “I want you to feel comfortable with this. I’m a lot older & I’m more experienced. I don't want to hurt you.”

“You won't.”

“I will a little, but we’ll get to that when we get to it.”

I nod. “Okay,” I say. “What do we do first?”

“Lie down.”

I take off my shoes, & shift back to lie down on my back. He shifts, coming to kneel between my legs. He leans forward, placing his hands on the bed either side of me. He balances over me, our chests brushing.

“I want you to get used to this feeling,” He says. “Having me over you like this.”

“I already love it,” I say, with a flirtatious smile. “Especially given how little you're wearing.”

He smiles, holding back laughter. He leans down & slowly kisses my neck. I moan.

“Well, that's one thing you like,” He says, his breath tickling my neck.

“Show me more,” I whisper into his ear.

We discover quite a few things about each other, like the fact that I suddenly have a ticklish spot on my sides, and he has an obsession with kissing my neck. Soon enough we’re both naked, & my heart is pounding. _I can't believe I’m finally going to make love with him_.

He leans over, getting a condom out of his bedside table’s drawer. I watch as he puts it on. He leans over me the way he had at the start.

“It's going to hurt a bit at first,” He says. “But I promise you it won't be for too long. I just want you to know in case you freak out when it happens.”

“I can handle it,” I reply, reaching up to kiss him.

He kisses me back, before pushing himself up. “You ready?”

I nod, smiling.

He gently rubs his fingers through my folds, & I bite my bottom lip hard to stop my moan. He then presses his dick’s head against my opening, watching me for a minute as he allows me to get used to the sensation. I want him in me right now, I want to know what it feels like to give him my all.

I gasp when he pushes inside, eyes blinded from the pain as my body gives way to him. I don't even realise I’m crying until Tyler leans down & kisses me.

“It's okay,” He whispers against my lips.

It hurts, but the pain is slowly subsiding. He stays still until I open my eyes.

“How is it now?” He asks.

“It doesn't hurt as much now.”

He smiles. “Good,” He says. “You ready to keep going?”

I nod.

"Tell me if it hurts too much, okay? Don't feel like you have to keep going if it gets too much.”

“Awww! You're so sweet! But I’ll be fine.”

“Just looking out for you,” He replies. “Because I love you.”

“I love you too,” I whisper, before kissing him.

He moves his hips back, & then forward. I inhale sharply. He keeps doing it slowly- back, forth, back, forth. It sends a sensation I’ve never felt before through me- & I like it. He slowly starts to move faster. I hold him tightly, fingers digging into his back. I can't hold back my moans any longer, & when I let out a long moan, he pushes in deeper.

“How does that feel?” He asks, still thrusting.

I moan again. He chuckles.

“I’ll take that as a good sign,” He says.

“Very good,” I reply.

“Good,” He replies, before kissing my neck.

I gasp, involuntarily arching my back as my inner muscles clench around him. It feels strange down there & my vision blurs.

“Hey,” He says, softly. “Relax. Don't fight it.”

“Wha? Why?”

He chuckles. “Cause it's a good thing, what you're experiencing,” He says. “It's called an orgasm.”

“Oh, that's what it feels like.”

He smiles. He then hooks an arm under me, cradling my lower back, & then rolls to my left- flipping us.

“Sit up,” He says.

“Huh?”

“Sit up,” He replies, taking his arm off my back. “So you're like… Straddling me. Like I was sitting before, but… On top of me.”

I push myself up, inhaling sharply from the new feeling of him inside. It makes me feel dizzy. I sway, almost collapsing, & he quickly grabs my hips to steady me.

“You okay?” He asks, concerned.

I nod. “Yeah.”

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’m fine. I just got a little… dizzy,” I reply. “It feels different.”’

He smirks. “That happens when you change positions. But it’s a good feel, right?”

I have the sudden urge to grind- so I push my hips down, moving them in a circular motion & he fails to bite back a loud moan. He pulls me down & kisses me as he pushes my hips down & then up, & I moan into his mouth.

We keep making love, moaning into the others’ mouth until he cums. I feel it hit- his thrusts become jerkier & he exhales heavily straight into my mouth. He grips my hips to get me to stop & I do as he leaves a line of kisses down my neck to my shoulder.

****

The sound of the front door shutting loudly wakes both of us.

“Shit, they’re home,” Tyler says.

We quickly get dressed. He ushers me over to his window.

“I hope you don’t get caught,” He says.

“I won’t,” I reply, reaching up & kissing him.

I turn to go, but he grabs my arm gently.

“Don’t tell anyone about us.”

“Why?” I ask, frowning.

He sighs. “I know that we don’t care about the age difference,” He says. “However… if _any_ of your family find out…”

I nod. “We’re both dead.”

He nods. “Yep.”

“I promise it’s our little secret.”

He smiles. “I like the sound of that,” he replies, cupping my face with both hands. He kisses me.

I then slip out the window, looking back at him & smiling before I creep towards the front of his head.

I’m making my way down the driveway after checking that I don’t have company, when I spot Mum arriving home.

“Oh, shit!” I mutter, ducking down below the level of the embankment between the two houses.

I slowly peer above it, careful not to get seen. And I’m shocked when I see not only is she not alone, but it’s _not_ Josh. The teenage boy with her is too slender to be Josh.

Then he turns around, & I gape.

“ _Chas_?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Piper's in a happy place... But Chas' unexpected arrival will shake things up. What's he doing? And what will it mean for Piper & Tyler?


	19. The Real Chas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper's ex is here. He says he's back to be trained by Brad again, but is that the real reason? Will Piper find herself in trouble?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo... I promised that the Piper/Tyler part would be lighter. Then I came up with this idea for Chas/Brodie that I couldn't get out of my head. So I had to run with it.

“What is he doing here?” I ask as soon as I'm inside, the front door shutting.

“Oh, hi sweetie,” Mum says from the kitchen.

“Hey, Piper,” He says as I cross to them.

“Seriously, Mum,” I reply, ignoring him. “ _What_ is he doing here?”

“ _Piper!_ ” She scolds. “That's _not_ the right way to behave in front of our guest.”

“Oh, & _not_ telling me that he was coming? Is that the right way to behave?”

Mum looks at him, & then ushers me back into the lounge.

“You remember what he did to Dad & Josh, right?” I ask, as we go all the way across the room.

“Yes,” She says, firmly but quietly so he doesn't hear. “He says he's sorry, & he wants your Dad to coach him again.”

“So you invited him here?”

“He deserves the chance to be heard.”

“What he _deserves_ is to _remain_ out of our lives.”

She narrows her eyes. “Why are you so against this?”

“Our family has been through enough the last year,” I reply. “Do you think it's wise to let someone who we once considered family but ended up being betrayed by _back_ in?”

“Everyone deserves a second chance,” She says. “What Brodie did to us is in the past. You don't have to forgive him, but at least give him the chance to talk to our family.”

“Right, so… As usual, instead of consulting us, you go ahead & force us to accept the decision you’ve made.”

“ _Piper!_ ”

I shake my head, trying to contain my anger. I look over to him- he’s watching us, but quickly looks away when he sees I’m looking at him. When I found out Mum & Dad were separating, I _begged_ him to come back with me. But he chose swimming over me. I still haven't forgiven about it. And now he’s here to shake up my family once again.

“Fine,” I say, looking at Mum. “Play happy families. But you know what?” I shrug. “I’m _not_ going to stand here  & watch it.”

I head for the front door.

“Piper!”

I yank the door open, step out & slam it behind me.

****

All I want is to go back to Tyler, to cry & fall into his arms. But he’ll be busy with Mark & Paige. So I turn right & walk down the street. Mum calls my mobile.

“Urgh! Leave me alone!” I angrily say as I reject her call.

Eventually I end up at the Lassiters lake. I sit at its edge, hurling rocks into it.

“Wow, what's got you so mad?” Xanthe asks.

I look over my shoulder. She's walking over to me. I turn back around with a sigh, hurling another rock into the water. She settles on the grass beside me.

“Remember that boyfriend I had when I was in Canada?”

“Yeah,” She says. “The mysterious Chas.”

“Yeah, well… Mum turned up at home _with_ him.”

“ _What?!_ ” She gapes. “Oh my god! This is _brilliant_! Two star-crossed lovers, torn apart by a family crisis  & he comes all this way to win you back.”

“But I _don't_ want him back.”

“Uh… Why not?”

“Because he betrayed my family, & then I was in Canada & I _stupidly_ gave in to my silly little crush on him,” I reply, throwing another rock in the water. “We dated,  & things were going good for us. But then I found out about my parents, & I knew I needed to come home. I asked him, _begged_ him to come back with me, but he chose his swimming career over me. He broke my heart.”

“And now he's here.”

“Yeah… To get Dad to coach him again.”

“But your family doesn't know you two dated, right?” She asks. “Have you considered that he's just using that as an excuse to be close to you again? Maybe it's just a cover.”

“But I don't _want_ him back!” I snap. “I want him _gone_. I want him to go back to Canada  & leave me be.”

“Woah! You really feel strongly about this.”

“Because I’m finally feeling like I fit in here, & he just _had_ to come swooping in  & shake it all up,” I reply, fighting back tears. “And the _one_ person that I _so desperately_ want to vent this to is too busy dealing with personal stuff, so I’m having to deal with this on my own.”

“I’m sure if you just call Tyler, he’d make time for you.”

I look at her, gaping. “How did you-”

“I’m observant,” She replies. “Besides… Ever since the wedding, you two have been giving each other some serious heart eyes. I think _everyone_ knows there’s something happening there.”

“Yeah, well… There wasn’t,” I reply. I throw another rock into the lake. “Until today.”

“Ooooo!!! The plot thickens!” She replies excitedly. “This is like a Hollywood romantic chick flick!”

I tell her about Paige's panic attack, & the decision I made about my feelings for Tyler.

“Oh, _pleeease_ tell me he took you in his arms  & confessed his _undying_ love for you!”

“Not everything is some romantic chick flick.”

“Uhh… When you have a hottie like Tyler, it deserves a story worthy of a romantic chick flick,” She replies. “So come on! Tell me!”

“He decided that he couldn't deny it too.”

“Ooooo!”

“We ended up…” I look at her, letting it speak for itself.

She gapes. “ _Get… Out!_ ” She says, way too loudly.

“Would you keep your voice down?! We’re in public!”

She shifts closer. “So how was it?”

I scrunch up my face. “I'm not going to tell you.”

“I bet he's amazing.”

“He was really sweet. He made sure that I was sure I wanted to do it. He took things slow, knowing that it was my… First.”

She rests her chin on her hand. “Now I know why you’re so wound up about Chas being back.”

“And it's _more_ infuriating when Mum not only _knows_ that I _don't_ want him there, but she keeps on trying to make me accept that he's here,” I say, throwing another rock. “Instead of sending him packing, she wants me to ‘give him a second chance’, & let Dad & Josh hear him out.”

“So what exactly did he do?”

“What?”

“I’m just… Curious,” She says. “You say he betrayed your family.”

“It doesn't matter. The point is, he did something that nearly cost Josh his career. And Dad’s coaching career,” I reply. I sigh, deciding I may as well tell her. “He accused them of cheating with steroids. And then he broke my heart. There's nothing more that you need to know.”

“What are you going to do?”

“Hope that Dad has the sense to turn him away.”

“And if he doesn't?”

“I hide & ignore Brodie.”

She frowns. “Brodie?”

“Chas is his nickname,” I reply. “His real name is Brodie Chaswick. That's what my family knows him as.”

“Good to know.”

“I can't believe he came back.”

“Piper!” He calls from behind us.

I groan, covering my face with both hands.

“Is that him?” Xanthe quietly asks.

I nod. I just know she's looking at him.

“He's _cuuute_!”

I drop my hands. “Don't even _think_ about flirting with him.”

“Hey,” He says, stepping up to us.

“What do you want?” I ask, glaring up at him.

“Can we talk?”

“I'm busy.”

“I actually have to go,” Xanthe says.

I shoot her a look- _Please don't go!_ She stands up.

“Hey, I’m Xanthe,” She says, holding out her hand as I get to my feet. “I'm Piper’s best friend.”

“Brodie Chaswick,” He replies, taking her hand & shaking it. “Nice to meet you.”

“Well, I’d love to stay & chat, but… I better get home.”

I grab her arm, giving her a pleading look. She leans in.

“Talk to him,” She whispers.

“ _No!_ ”

She gets her arm free, turns around, flashes a flirty smile at Chas & then leaves.

“Wow,” He says. “Colourful one.”

“Yeah, that's Xanthe for you,” I reply. “I… Gotta go too.”

“I’ll walk you home.”

“I can do it myself.”

“I’m heading back there anyway.”

I sigh. “Why can't you just leave me & my family alone?”

“Your Dad is the only one that's able to bring out the best in me,” He replies. “I’ve _never_ beaten my personal bests since I stopped being coached by him.”

“Right. So… When I _begged_ you to come back with me, you turned it down. And now you're here to beg Dad into taking you back.”

“Piper,” He says, stepping closer. I step back. He sighs. “I regret how I treated you. I’m sorry.”

“It's too late for that,” I reply, before walking away.

****

It's getting dark when I'm walking back home. I’ve been walking around all afternoon, avoiding home in the hopes that I don't have to see or deal with Brodie. I turn into Ramsay Street when my mobile rings. I look at the ID, expecting it to be Mum. But it's Tyler.

“Hey,” I say, as I bring it up to my ear.

“Hey, I just saw Xanthe. She said you were upset before. I just wanted to see if you're okay?”

“Uhh… Not exactly.”

“What's going on? Did I do something to upset you?”

“No! You were…” I sigh. “It's not you. My ex turned up just after I left you. And he's trying to get Dad to coach him again.”

“Wait… You dated someone Brad coached?”

“Yes, though he was an ex trainee when I dated him in Canada.”

“Chas is here?”

“Yep,” I reply, bitterly. “And now I don't want to go home cause he's going to be there.”

“I’d offer for you to come stay here, but… Things are pretty tense here.”

“How's Paige?”

He sighs. “Yeah, she's okay. She opened up about everything to the psychologist, which is good. But it's a long way from being over.”

“Awww, poor Paige. And here I am kicking up a fuss over nothing.”

“Having an ex rock up unannounced isn't nothing, Pipes.”

“It's nothing compared to what she's going through.”

“Where are you?”

“Almost home,” I reply. “I can't keep avoiding Mum’s calls. I don't wanna go in, but… I have to. Don't have anywhere else.”

“Well, you can always call me later to vent.”

“I would give _anything_ up to curl up in bed in your arms right now.”

“I wish I could comfort you too,” He replies. “But running the risk of Mark finding you…”

I nod. “Yeah, I get it.”

“Call me later, okay?”

“I will just to hear your voice.”

I can tell from his exhale that he's smiling.

“I guess it's time to face the music.”

“Hey,” He says. “You can do this.”

“Don't have a choice.”

****

I step inside, instantly seeing Mum, Imogen, & Josh standing in the kitchen. I quietly shut the front door, & try to sneak upstairs.

“Piper?” Mum calls.

I freeze three steps up the stairs & grimace. _Bugger_. Mum walks over.

“Come into the kitchen,” She says.

“Why? So you can force me into accepting you're letting him back into our family?”

“So we can _discuss_ it as a family.”

“You know where I stand,” I reply, before continuing up the stairs.

“Piper, please come talk with us,” Dad says.

I look down at him. “You're going to take him on, aren't you?”

“I’m considering all the options,” He says. “Just come down & hear him out.”

I stare at him, shocked. “ _He's here?_ ”

“He has the right to be a part of the discussion,” Mum replies.

“Just like I have the right to go to bed,” I reply.

“Piper!”

“I’m tired, Mum. I just want to go curl up in bed.”

“What about dinner?”

“Not hungry.”

They look at each other. I _hate_ it when they communicate without saying a word. Mum heads back to the kitchen  & I sigh as Dad comes up the stairs.

“Tell me why you're so against Brodie being back?”

“Am I the _only_ one that remembers he accused you  & Josh of using steroids?”

“That was years ago, Piper. He's older. Wiser.”

“But still the same liar.”

He looks shocked. “This isn't you.”

“I _don't_ want him back in our lives, Dad. I don't get why you & Mum are making it out like I’m in need of being punished when I’m trying to give my opinion. I’m trying to show you that he’s not worthy of having you coach him again.”

“Just come & talk,” He says. “You’ll see that he's not the same as he was back then.”

I shake my head. “I’m done talking to him today.”

“Fine, don't talk,” He says. “But at least come & eat. Listen to him. Just be there.”

“How about we save the torture for another day? Surely you have enough to deal with, given your other daughter hallucinated a psycho was about to kill her.”

“Paige is in good hands with Mark.”

“Right. So you're here to force your youngest daughter to have dinner with the kid that lied & brought your & Josh’s careers _extremely_ close to being destroyed.”

“Can you _please_ just put all this anger aside  & come have dinner?”

I sigh. “ _Fine_.”

I head back down & into the kitchen. I avoid making eye contact with Brodie, slumping down in a chair as far away from him as possible.

****

“So Dad’s gonna coach him, even though I protested,” I say into my mobile. After the torture of having Brodie at dinner, & Dad’s bombshell, I retreated to the sanctuary of my bedroom. I’m lying on my bed, having called Tyler the second I got up here. “Josh was against it too, but he changed his position by the end of dinner. So basically I’m been shunted to the side like an outsider by my own family.”

“I think you're over exaggerating,” Tyler says.

“Nope, I’m being accurate,” I reply. “They like Brodie more than they do me.”

“That's so not true, Pipes, & you know it!” He says. “You're amazing.”

“Urgh! I wish they'd show me that they see that.”

“Maybe you should…”

“Should what?”

“I dunno… Come clean about you dating him.”

“ _What?!_ ” I bolt up. “And risk Mum murdering me for hiding it? No thanks.”

“I was actually thinking it would make them understand why you are so adamant about not letting him back into your lives.”

“Huh. Didn't think of it that way.”

“So… You’ll think about it?”

“Maybe.”

“And then you might wanna tell them about us.”

“Haha. One secret relationship exposed at a time, thanks. I have no idea how extreme they’ll be in reacting to hearing about me & Chas.”

“Eventually they're going to find out.”

“About which one?”

“Both.”

“Urgh!” I say, flopping back down.

“I wish I could hug you & tell you it will all work out.”

“I could sneak out & sleep in your bed?”

“Much as that sounds nice, your parents would kill me if they found out you snuck out to have a sleepover with me.”

“It's nothing compared to what we did earlier,” I reply, smirking as I think about our afternoon sex.

“Oh, that alone qualifies me for Brad to murder me.”

“I wish I could go back to then. Before all of this stupid drama ruined what had been the best day of my life.”

“Well… I can't do much to improve things right now, but I can start tomorrow off in a good way.”

“Oh?”

“We’ll go have breakfast or brunch somewhere,” He says. “My shout.”

“Awwwwww!!! That would be lovely.”

“Good. Meet at 10am?”

“Sounds good. But down the road. In case anyone sees us.”

He chuckles. “To everyone else, we’re just friends.”

“Yeah, but you don't know what my Mum is like…”

He laughs. “Okay, okay. I’ll keep in touch so we can meet up.”

“Sure. Can't wait.”

“Me too.”

“Sleep well.”

“You too,” I reply. “And Tyler?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Pipes.”

****

The next morning, I slip out & meet Tyler at a park down the road. I smile when I see him waiting. And then I can't help but run over & jump into his arms. It feels like it's been forever since I saw him. He holds me tight, kissing my neck.

“I missed you,” I say, pulling back to look into his eyes.

“It's been less than a day.”

“Yeah, well, you know how bad the rest of yesterday was for me. It could very well have been a week since I saw you.”

He cups my face with both hands. “Well I’m here now.”

I grab his shirt, pulling him so his lips crash into mine. We share a long kiss, & I wish there was somewhere we could go & make love again.

“Where do you want to go eat?” He asks.

“Somewhere where I don't have to deal with my family.”

He smiles. “I think I know the perfect place.”

We go to this cute café & order food. We're not near Lassiters, so we can be like any other couple. He sits next to me, draping an arm around me. We talk, our attention only on each other until the waitress brings our food out.

The food is _delicious_. And we're having a good time. That is, until we're almost done…

“Piper?” I hear Brodie ask.

I look up & drop my cutlery. He’s walking over. _Shit_.

“Who's this?” He asks, frowning at Tyler.

“Her boyfriend,” Tyler replies, putting his arm around me again.

“Your mum didn't tell me you were seeing someone.”

“One, not something you should really be told,” I reply, bluntly. “And she doesn't know.”

He smiles. “Well… Some things never change with you.”

Tyler's arm tenses. I place a hand on his leg.

“Well… You may be happy now, but… Eventually you’ll be back with me.”

Tyler starts to stand, but I dig my fingers into his thigh to make him sit. Brodie laughs. He walks away.

“I can see why you hate him,” Tyler says, glaring at Brodie’s back.

“Yep,” I reply. “Hopefully Dad comes to his senses soon.”

Tyler looks at me. “Do you think he’ll mention us to him?”

“Ohhhh, I hope not.”

“I reserve the right to punch him if he does.”

“Tyler, don't.”

“What? The smug idiot needs to learn a lesson.”

“And how will Mark react if he finds out you punched him?”

He presses his lips into a thin line. “Good point.”

“But I do appreciate the thought of you defending me like that.”

He smiles. He leans in & kisses me.

****

The rest of Sunday is better than Saturday. I didn't see Brodie after our encounter at brunch, which was a huge relief. In fact, I went without seeing him at all until Friday. I came down for breakfast before school, finding him eating with Dad. I just grab some food & then head into the lounge to eat.

I meet Xanthe & we walk to school, & I vent to her about seeing Brodie at home. School is no different than usual. Tyler sends me a text at lunch, asking if I want to come to the garage after school. I reply saying I will & that I can't wait to see him.

After school, Xanthe & I head off together. We eventually part ways, her on route to Harold's.

“Have fun with baby Brennan!” She calls back to me.

“Ha ha!” I call back.

I walk alone for several meters. And then a car pulls up beside me.

“Piper!” Brodie says, getting out.

I roll my eyes. “Leave me alone, Brodie!” I say, still walking.

He jogs to catch up with me, stepping in front of me so I nearly crash into him.

“Do you mind?” I snap, glaring at him.

“Only way to get you to stop.”

“Get the hint,” I reply. “I _don't_ want to talk to you. Its bad enough I have to see you in my home. The least you could do is give me as much space as possible everywhere else.”

 

“But why would I do that? I’m trying to prove to you that I’m not the guy I was when you broke up with me.”

“And I’m trying to prove to you that I’m _not interested_.”

“You belong with me.”

I raise my eyebrow. “ _Excuse me?_ ”

“You know we're meant to be together.”

“That's where you're _wrong_ ,” I say, stepping around him.

He grabs my arm. I try to shake free, but he holds on tighter- so tight, his fingers dig in to my skin.

“Let go.”

“You're coming with me.”

“ _No_!”

I try to keep walking, but his hold is too much & I can't move. I struggle, but he's surprisingly strong. He pulls me closer.

“I’ll scream,” I angrily say.

“We’re surrounded by _nothing_ ,” He replies. “No one will hear you.”

I struggle, pushing & kicking in the hopes he’ll let go. My schoolbag falls off in the struggle. He ends up pulling me against him, my back pressed against his chest- his left arm wrapped around my waist. I try & wriggle free, but he holds me tight.

“Come willingly, & this will be much easier,” He whispers into my ear.

“Let me go!”

“I'm sorry, Piper,” He replies. He kisses my cheek. “I can't let you go. Not again.”

I keep struggling. And then he covers my mouth with a white cloth. I fight harder, knowing exactly what he's trying to do. But my mouth & nose are covered- there's no way to avoid breathing it in.

Despite my best efforts, my body gives in to the chloroform. I start to go limp, & he pulls me back to his car. He gets me into the passenger seat, clicking my seatbelt on & slams the door shut. I keep my eyes open long enough to see him get in & roar off. And then I can't keep my eyes open any longer.

****

_She should be here by now…_

I check my mobile again. Still no text. So I call Xanthe.

“Tyler! Hiiiii. I thought you’d be playing snookie with my bestie.”

“So she's not with you?”

“No, of course not! She's been _dying_ to be with you ever since you texted her! I even left her not too long ago… She was on route to you.”

I sigh, fearing the worst. “Well, she hasn't turned up & I’ve heard nothing from her.”

“Have you tried calling her?”

“Yeah, it just rings out.”

“Okay, don't panic,” She says. “I’m at Harold's. Why don't you close up, & head for the school. You know our usual route, right?”

“Yeah I do.”

“Good. Okay. I’ll meet you at the intersection where our route splits off. That's where I last saw her.”

“Okay. Keep in contact.”

“Of course!”

****

We meet up at the spot. Neither of us have seem her. I try calling her again, & it barely rings when I spot it. I hang up, walking over to it. I crouch down beside the bush, reaching under it & pulling out a school bag- _Erinsborough High_. Xanthe steps up just as I open it  & dig through the belongings to determine if it's hers. My heart sinks when I find her printed vlog.

I drop it back in, zipping it up & stand up.

“What now?” She asks.

I hand her Piper’s bag. “Go home & take this with you.”

“What?”

“I think I know where she is.”

“You do?”

“I have an idea.”

“Take me with you.”

“No, it's too dangerous,” I reply. “Besides, I need you as back up.”

She frowns. “How can I be back up if I’m not there?”

“Because if you don't hear from me in an hour, I need you to go to Mark and tell him _everything_ ,” I reply. “Okay, leave out the fact that I’m dating Piper… But the rest. And I need you to tell him to get to Paul’s motel.”

She frowns. “Why there?”

“Xanthe! Just _do_ it, please!” I snap. “I'm sorry, but I need to go.”

****

I force open my eyes, feeling groggy. He's definitely given me something stronger… The room comes slowly into focus, & I see that I’m lying on a bed in Paul's motel. And then Brodie leans over me, kneeling beside me.

“You should have come willingly,” He says. “But your resistance needs to be addressed.” He starts pushing my skirt up. “And I have just the right method.”

I try resisting, but I can't move. Whatever he’s given me is very strong- it's keeping me from moving. He pushes my legs, forcing me to spread them. He then moves to sit between them, & I know he's about to rape me. I know & yet I can't move. He pushes my skirt up more & rubs my undies. Tears fill my eyes as I try desperately to move my hand or even a leg- _anything_ to stop him.

“I’ve been waiting a long time to make love to you,” He says, still rubbing me. “It's a shame you’re not willing to be with me. I really didn't want to do it this way, but… You’ve given me no choice.”

He reaches to the top of my undies & hooks his fingers under it.

“PIPER?” I hear Tyler call.

I try calling out but I can't.

Brodie laughs.

“PIPER?” Tyler's closer.

“Ty-” I force myself to speak. “TYLER!” It's weak, but I pray that it's enough.

Brodie starts pulling my undies down, determined to not let Tyler's interruption stop him. I'm starting to feel my fingers again. Brodie sees. So he pulls my undies off much rougher than he had been. He unbuckles his belt, undoing his jeans.

“TYLER!” I manage to get it out a bit louder this time.

Brodie grabs my neck, pushing down on it enough to make it hard for me to breathe.

“Call out again, & I _will_ make you regret it.”

He lets go, needing two hands to push his jeans & boxers down. Knowing how close he is to raping me, I know this is my last chance to stop him.

“TYLERRRRRR!!!” I scream as loud as I can.

Brodie slaps me hard across my left cheek. The door into the room moves, but jams as the lock holds it in place.

“Piper?” Tyler says from the door.

“Tyler,” I say, weaker than the last time.

But it's enough for him to hear. The door bangs, & I know he’s hitting it with his shoulder to force it open.

Brodie snarls, & moves to push inside me. He gets the tip of his dick’s head inside when the door opens. Tyler stumbles a little, & takes in the view. I stare at him, & he knows that I’m unable to move. He storms over, grabbing Brodie & hauling him backwards off the bed. I watch as Tyler knocks him out, letting him drop to the floor.

Tyler then rushes over to me. He kneels on the bed, pulling my skirt down to cover me. He then cups my face with both hands.

“Hey, you're going to be okay,” He says with a reassuring smile.

I don't have the strength to respond. He pulls out his mobile, & calls someone.

“Mark,” He says into it, one hand still on my cheek. “I need you to come to Paul’s motel. And call for an ambulance.” He looks at me, clearly listening to Mark. “Cause Brodie just tried to rape Piper.”

I black out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Piper is okay... sort of. The fallout from Chas' attempt continues, but will it expose another secret?


	20. The Unexpected Confession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will Tyler say to the Willises when they arrive at the hospital?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter cause it reached a dramatic enough point that I decided to turn it into a cliffhanger.

I stand guard over Piper, watching the paramedics assess her. A couple of Police officers are with Brodie, who now has his clothes on properly & is sporting a nice nose bleed from my punch.

Mark walks in, & takes in the scene. He spots me & walks over.

“What the hell happened?” He asks.

“Piper was going to come over to the garage after school,” I reply. “She failed to turn up & wasn't answering her phone. So I called Xanthe, to find out what she knew. She said she’d left Piper on her way to the garage, & we each tracked back to where she last saw Piper.”

“How did you know she was here?”

“I found her schoolbag under a bush.”

Mark's eyes widen. “You tampered with a crime scene?”

“What was I supposed to do? Leave her bag there for anyone to take?” I snap. “If you're really that hung up, I can take you back & point out exactly where it was so you can document it.”

“Okay, Tyler. Calm down.”

I sigh, eyes drifting back to Piper. She's still unconscious- but they have her on a heart rate monitor, so at least I know she's still breathing. I can't shake the thought of what he was going to do to her.

“Had I not been so worried about her not turning up… Had I not done what I did…” I look at Mark. “I _barely_ stopped it as is.”

“Hey, don't go there,” He replies, placing a hand on my shoulder. “You saved her. She's safe.”

I rub my hands over my face.

“She’s lucky to have a friend like you.”

“She’s more than a friend,” I correct him, before realising I shouldn’t have.

I close my eyes, hoping he didn’t hear. I look at him- he looks shocked.

“Are you…?” He looks from me to Piper.

I sigh. “Would you be angry if I said yes?”

“I don’t honestly know what I feel,” He says. “But… If you’re happy, then… I’m happy for you.”

I nod. “Thanks, bro.”

The paramedics are ready to take Piper off to hospital. They lift her onto the gurney & start to leave.

“Hey,” Mark says to them. “He’s going with you.”

The paramedics look at me. The lead one, standing at Piper’s head, nods. I nod in thanks to Mark, who pats my shoulder as I step past him to follow the paramedics & Piper out.

****

The Willis family arrive, all rushing into the waiting area. I swallow hard, preparing to face them. I stand up as they walk over. Terese pulls me into a hug, which stuns me.

“Thank you for saving my baby,” She says.

“You're welcome,” I reply.

“How is she?” Terese asks as we part.

“She fell unconscious when I was calling Mark for help at the motel,” I reply. “Woke for a little bit in the ambulance. Karl’s in with her now, checking her over while we wait for the blood test results to determine what he drugged her with.”

“I’m glad she has you looking out for her.”

I force a smile. _Would she say that if she knew I was dating Piper? If she knew we’ve had sex?_

Karl comes out of Piper’s room.

“Ah, good, you're all here,” He says. “Let's go into my office.”

He points to his office across the hall. Brad, Terese & Josh follow him in. Imogen grabs my wrist & pulls me after her.

“You deserve to hear all of it with us,” She says.

Brad & Lauren take the seats while Josh, Imogen & I stand behind them. Karl settles in his chair.

“We already know he gave her chloroform, which supports the theory she struggled when he took her on the street,” He says. “That's evident in several bruises she has.”

“She's a fighter,” Brad says.

“We’re still waiting on her blood tests to determine what else he gave her.”

“What do you mean?” Terese asks.

“Tyler said she was unable to move when he found her,” Karl says. “Chloroform doesn't have that affect on the body. It numbs pain, like anaesthetic. Her body is showing signs of being… Paralysed.”

“She was having trouble speaking too,” I reply. “It was by chance I heard her calling to me.”

“Well, I’m sure when she wakes up, she’ll be very grateful you were there,” Karl says.

“And… Uh…” Terese says. “She was… Brodie was trying to…”

Karl nods. “I’ve had an obstetrician examine her,” Karl says. He looks at Josh, Imogen & myself. “I'm not sure if it's appropriate for you three to be in here.”

“I’m old enough to know this stuff,” Imogen says. “Besides, Mum will need someone to translate it all into easier to understand terms for Piper.”

Karl nods.

“Oh, I’m out,” Josh says. He heads for the door. “There's some things about Piper that I don't need to hear.” He pauses at the door. “You coming, Tyler?”

I swallow. “Uh… I'm going to stay,” I reply. I look at Brad & Terese. “If that's okay? I want to know what he did to her.”

Terese nods. “You're practically family,” She replies. “And you saved her.”

I smile a little. We turn back to Karl.

“Doctor Brooke, the obstetrician, examined her. She said there wasn't any sign of forced penetration, which no doubt is because of Tyler's interruption of it,” Karl says. “However…”

I swallow, knowing all too well there will be signs she's had sex before.

“Doctor Brooke concluded that, even though she wasn't raped today,” Karl says. “There's signs she's already sexually active.”

Terese frowns. “What does that mean?”

Karl hesitates.

“Karl?”

“It means she's had sex.”

Terese, Brad & Imogen look shocked. I bite my lip, trying to hide how uncomfortable I am right now. Imogen notices. Feeling her eyes narrow as she looks at me, I turn & walk out. I try to close the door behind me, but she stops it. She follows me out, closing the door behind her.

“What was that about?” She asks, as I cross the hallway to Piper’s window.

Josh is sitting in with her. Which is good. I don't need him hearing this.

“I just got uncomfortable hearing that, okay?”

“Uh… But you wanted in on that conversation.”

“Because I thought I could handle it.”

“You know something, don't you?”

I avoid looking at her.

“ _Tyler_ ,” She says, sternly.

“Just let it go, Imogen!”

“Uh, no I won't! You need to tell me what you know.”

“ _No._ ”

“It's _clearly_ got something to do with Piper,  & right now, _she's_ my priority.”

“So why don't you go sit there next to your siblings instead of pushing me into telling you something that I clearly _don't_ want to tell you.”

“Tyler, _please_.”

“ _I SLEPT WITH HER!_ ” I snap. “ _There_! I said it. I slept with her. Happy now?”

She stares at me, mouth open.

I sigh, looking at Piper.

“Are you _crazy_?”

I glare at her.

“She’s _sixteen_!”

“Which is age of consent,” I reply. “Which I thought you'd know!”

“That I’m not that worried about,” She replies. “What I _am worried_ about, & what _you_ should be worried about, is what my parents are going to do when they find out.”

“Exactly why I left when it brought up that she's had _sex_!”

“So what are you going to do?”

“I obviously wasn't planning on them finding out this soon.”

“They're going to be asking questions.”

“I know.”

“So are you going to tell them?”

I run my hand over my face. “I don't know.”

“Well,” She says. “I think you should.”

“That would be signing my death warrant. No thanks.”

“Actually… I was going to say this is the best time to do it.”

I frown. “What?”

“Mum’s practically in love with you right now for saving Piper today,” She says. “You should take advantage of that good spirit while it's still in play. It might soften the blow.”

I sigh. “You might actually be right.”

“Want me to be there when you do? As a buffer, in case they decide to lose it?”

I think it over, eyes falling on Piper. I look at Imogen again. “Moral support will be good.”

She smiles reassuringly. She then tilts her head towards Karl's office. I sigh, looking one last time at Piper- hopefully she won’t be too upset that I’ve told them. I then walk back over to Karl's office with Imogen, letting her go back in first.

“Uh… Tyler has something to say,” Imogen says as I close the door.

“Can it wait till after we’re done here?” Terese asks.

“You know what? That's a brilliant idea,” I say, smiling.

Imogen hits my arm. “Tell them now, or I will,” She quietly says.

I swallow, nervous about admitting this. “Uh… I knew… About Piper…” I look at Terese. “I knew she'd had sex before today.”

Terese & Brad look confused.

“What are you saying, Tyler?” Terese asks.

I glance at Imogen. I sigh, looking at Terese again.

“I know… Because…” I sigh, closing my eyes for a long moment. “It was me.” I open them & look at her. “She lost her virginity with me.”

Terese looks shocked. Brad, however, is harder to read. He stands up, keeping his face expressionless as he steps over to me. He stops close enough to be highly intimidating. I swallow, nervous about what he's going to do next- a striking echo of the way Dad would be with me, right before he hit me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Brad do? And what will Piper say when she wakes up?


	21. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Brad vs Tyler showndown continues; a surprise visitor makes an appearance at the hospital; & Piper finds out a secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while!

“What… The… Hell?” Brad says.

I nervously swallow. “I care about her,” I reply. “She wanted to. And I mean that. I would never force her into it.”

“She's sixteen, what were you thinking?”

“She's old enough to give consent.”

“That doesn't give you the right to-”

“Like I said, it was her choice! She was ready. I treated her with respect the whole time.”

I see in the corner of my eye, Imogen turn to Terese. Terese stands, walks over & stands beside Brad to my left.

“Thank you,” She says to me.

Both Brad & I look surprised.

“At first, the news shocked & angered me,” She says. “I can't imagine my little girl growing up so fast. However…” She sighs. “She is. Has been since she left for Canada. And it's about time that we catch up.” She looks at me. “I know you care for her. What you did today is proof of that. As much as I want to be angry over you having sex with her, I can't ignore the fact that, if it weren't for your relationship with her, we wouldn't be standing here right now. Piper would have been raped had you not gone looking for her. So as much as I’m furious, I’m going to let it go.”

Brad looks in disbelief, his anger still there underneath.

“Thank you,” I reply.

Terese nods. “Now… You & Imogen go be with Piper,” She says. “And Karl? I’m sorry you had to witness this.”

“No, don’t worry,” Karl says. “Young love. Makes everyone a little on edge.”

None of us know what to say in response. Imogen pushes me towards the door. We slip out.

“How is it that adults somehow manage to find a way of completely embarrass us like that?” She asks, once the door is shut.

I shrug as we cross to Piper’s room. I open the door for her, & she smiles as she steps in. We both smile at Josh as I shut the door.

“How is she?” Imogen asks.

“She hasn’t woken up,” Josh replies. “Whatever he dosed her up with must be really strong.” He scoffs. “The irony of this. He accused us of using drugs, & then years later, he drugs my little sister.”

“Well, she’s going to recover.”

“Except that she’s going to be traumatised by the whole experience.”

“She has us for support.”

“Any news on what they’ve done with Brodie?”

Imogen looks at me.

I shake my head. “Last I heard, Mark was stuck at the station with him, trying to get him on the record,” I reply. “Sounded like he was resisting.”

Josh looks shocked. “He was caught in the act! What does he think he can do to get off?”

“Just leave it to Mark & the rest of the Erinsborough Police,” Imogen replies. “I really don’t think Mum & Dad would appreciate you ending up breaking your good behaviour bond over that idiot.”

“He deserves it,” Josh mutters, resting back in his chair.

****

Terese & Brad join us shortly after, Brad much calmer. After a while, Imogen suggests they go get dinner.

“Wanna join us?” Imogen asks.

I shake my head. “No, I’m not hungry,” I reply. “Besides, I want to be here when she wakes.”

She nods. “Okay.”

“But thanks anyway.”

She smiles. “No worries.”

“Immy!” Josh calls from the hallway.

Imogen waves bye & I watch her leave. I sit back down as I sigh. I reach out & take hold of her hand- the first contact I’ve been able to give her since we arrived, because Josh doesn’t know about us yet. I hang my head- Please wake up, Pipes.

Her fingers curl around my hand. I snap my head up, eyes focused on her hand. But it’s her breathing that catches my eye- her chest rises & then drops as she sighs. I turn to look at her face. Her eyes open, & then close again as she fights to wake up. It takes a few attempts, but she opens her eyes fully.

“Hey,” I say, smiling.

Her eyes turn to me. She smiles.

“Best sight to wake up to,” She replies, groggily. “Shame it’s here in the hospital & not your bed.”

I smile, chuckling. “How are you?”

“Well… I can feel my whole body,” She replies. “Which is an improvement.”

“Good,” I reply, standing up. I kiss her forehead.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

“Kiss my girlfriend?”

“What if one of my family walks in?”

“They won’t. They went to dinner,” I reply. “Besides… three of them know.”

She raises an eyebrow. “What?”

“Karl had an obstetrician examine you,” I reply. “He told your parents that although you hadn’t been raped… you’d had sex.”

“Oh god.”

“Imogen & I were present. Don’t ask why I was there, it’s too long a story,” I reply. “I left Karl’s office, in an attempt to avoid it, but Imogen noticed something was up. She wouldn’t stop pestering me until I admitted what I knew. I’m sorry. I had to.”

“It’s okay,” She replies. “I’m assuming Mum knows.”

I nod. “Imogen suggested I tell her & Brad right away. Take advantage of Terese loving me for saving you.”

“Dad flipped, didn’t he?”

“He was angry, yes,” I reply. “Thankfully, Terese was willing to forgive me, & he let it go. Though I’m sure he’s just delaying it…”

“I wish I’d been there when they found out.”

“So do I,” I reply. “But Imogen backed me into a corner.”

She nods. “It’s okay. I understand.”

“Feel free to be the one to tell Josh,” I reply. “Preferably when I can make a getaway to avoid his fury. You know he’s wanting to make Brodie pay for drugging you.”

“He’s just being a protective brother.”

“Yeah… I don’t want to get on the receiving end of it. The close call with Brad is close enough for me.”

She smiles. “If he dares touch you, I’m going to threaten to do something in return.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Haven’t decided yet,” She replies, reaching up & putting her left hand on the back of my neck. “Shut up & kiss me.”

I smile as I lean down & press my lips against hers.

****

I let Karl know that she’s awake, & he comes in to check her over.

“No lasting injuries,” He says. “You’ll just be a bit drowsy.”

“Thanks Karl,” She replies.

“What about the blood test?” I ask.

“I’m still waiting to hear back on that,” Karl replies. “Unfortunately, our lab is very busy. But I’ll let you know as soon as I know.”

I nod.

****

Mum, Dad, Josh & Imogen return- all very relieved to see me awake.

“Mum! You’re squishing me!” I say.

“Oh,” She replies, pulling back. “Sorry, baby.”

“It’s fine.”

Karl enters. “I have the results of the blood test.”

“What did he drug her with?” Dad asks, arms folded over his chest while he frowns a little.

“He injected her, via a vein in her left arm, a drug named Flunitrazepam.”

Dad, Mum, Josh, Tyler & I are confused. Imogen looks shocked.

“Rohypnol?” She asks.

Karl nods. “That’s one of its many names, yes.”

“The date rape drug?” Tyler asks, earning a hard stare from Dad. “I’ve heard of its use. A girl I know had her drink spiked with it once. Her friends luckily interrupted before the guy could take her away.”

Karl nods. “That’s what most people use it for… other than addicts.”

“So what… what does this mean for Piper?” Mum asks.

“Well… she may be confused, have dizziness, confusion, drowsiness… you might not be able to move properly… And you might be feeling nauseous for tonight & some of tomorrow,” Karl says. “You will also may have what we call partial anterograde amnesia, which, in basic terms, means you won’t be able to recall what happened after he injected you.”

“He used chloroform to get me in his car,” I reply. “I woke up some time later… I think I was still knocked out from the chloroform when he injected the rohypnol.”

“Okay,” Karl says, making a note in my file of that. “I want to keep you in overnight. Just for observation. Rohypnol can cause respiratory issues. It’s usually caused by a dose mixed with alcohol, but can happen with a high dose of the drug as well. And considering we are unable to determine how much he used… I want you to stay where we can monitor you.”

I nod. “And then I can go home tomorrow?”

He nods. “If you are well enough to, I will discharge you by lunchtime.”

“Thanks, Karl.”

He smiles at me. “You’re welcome,” He replies. “Now… as much as I want you to stay, I’m sorry, but visiting hours finish in a few minutes.”

“We’ll say our goodbyes & head home,” Terese says. “We can drive you, Tyler.”

Tyler nods. “That would be good, thanks.”

Karl says bye & leaves. One by one, Mum, Dad, Josh & Imogen come over & say bye to me. They all leave. Tyler waits to say bye. He makes sure Josh is out of sight before stepping over to me & presses his lips to mine.

“Sleep well,” he whispers.

“Would be better if I was with you,” I whisper back.

He smiles. “When you’re out of here, we’ll see if you can come over.”

“Or… you could come to mine?”

He raises an eyebrow. “You wanna explain to Josh why I’m sleeping over?”

I wince. “Good point.”

He kisses me again. “Night, Pipes.”

“Night, Tyler.”

****

I arrive early at the hospital the next morning after stopping in at Harold’s to collect some breakfast for the both of us. I turn the corner to her room, & nearly drop our food & drinks when I see who’s standing outside her room.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, angrily.

He turns from the window into her room to look at me. “I came to see how she is.”

“Well, she wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you.”

“She wouldn’t come of her own will,” He says. “I tried explaining it to her- that we are soulmates & that she belonged with me. But she’s been blinded by you. I had to make her see the truth.”

“Well,” I reply, smiling sarcastically. “You did a good job of that. She now knows you’re nothing more than a monster.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Oh? So you think it’s okay to drug a woman you supposedly love & try to rape her?”

“She needed to be punished.”

I place our food & drinks down on a chair & turn back to him.

“You need to get your head screwed on properly,” I say.

“Has she gone down on you yet?” He replies. “Or is she doing what she did to me? Dragging you around to be some eye candy to make all her school friends jealous?”

I grab his shirt roughly, raising my right hand to punch him.

“TYLER!” Mark barks, making me stop inches from his smug face.

I look to my left, seeing Mark followed by two officers walking over. I let Brodie go, glaring at him as he smirks.

Mark steps up, looking at me in disbelief. The officers stand a few steps back.

“You going to tell him off for that?” Brodie asks.

“He didn’t actually hit you,” Mark replies.

“So?” Brodie replies. “I want him charged for attempted assault.”

“Turn around,” Mark tells him.

“Why?”

“Just do it, or I’ll make you.”

Brodie smirks at me. “I see the anger runs in the family.”

Mark steps closer. Brodie turns around. Mark takes hold of Brodie’s left arm, pulling it behind his back.

“What the-?” Brodie says, looking over his right shoulder as Mark pulls Brodie’s right arm behind him.

“Brodie Chaswick, you’re under arrest for breaching the restraining order,” Mark says, starting to handcuff Brodie’s wrists.

“Wait… what restraining order?” Brodie asks.

“You have the right to remain silent. Anything you do say can & will be used against you in a court of law,” Mark says, ignoring Brodie’s question. “You have the right to speak to an attorney, & to have an attorney present during any questioning. If you cannot afford a lawyer, one will be provided to you at government expense.”

“What restraining order?” Brodie repeats.

Mark ignores him again, turning him around & guiding him towards the two officers. “You’ll find out in time,” Mark replies. He looks at the officers. “Take him out to the car. I’ll be out shortly.”

The officers nod, taking one of Brodie’s arms each. We watch as they walk him out. Mark turns to me, looking unimpressed.

“What were you thinking when I walked in?” He asks, hands on his hips.

“He was saying nasty things about Piper!”

“And you think it’s a good idea to punch him for it?” He asks. “Do you understand how hard it was to snuff out assault charges on you last night? He wanted you charged for the punch you threw. You’re damn lucky Sarge threw it out based on the circumstances of the situation. Today’s close call could have ended differently. Do you think that Piper would appreciate you getting charged?”

I sigh. “He needs to be put back in line.”

“Yeah, but let me handle that, okay?”

I nod. “Okay.”

“Good,” He replies, before turning to go.

“Hey, what restraining order?”

“Huh?” He looks confused for a moment. “Oh, Brodie’s? Terese called me yesterday afternoon. She wanted to know if there was anything I could do to prevent Brodie from seeing Piper again. So… with Toadie’s help, & Sarge managing to get us an appointment with a judge… we were able to get a restraining order out on him, on Terese & Piper’s behalf.”

“And I’m guessing Brodie had no idea about it.”

He nods, looking a little awkward. “I may have neglected to inform him of it when he made bail at six this morning…”

I look shocked but then impressed. “Nice one, bro!” I say, giving his arm a light punch.

He smiles. “I wanted to find out what he would do,” He replies. “We had a tip off that he was here. And I’m glad that we did come. Especially when it stopped you from doing something reckless.”

"Spare the lecture,” I reply. “I get it. It was a dumb move. Just… Go ensure that creep doesn't come near our family ever again.”

Mark frowns.

“Piper is Paige's half sister, remember?” I add.

“Which means you're dating a member of your own family.”

“Piper and I aren't related, it's not illegal.”

“Says the one who just called her family a minute ago.”

“Oh, shut up & go deal with that psycho.”

****

I open my eyes as my room’s door opens. I look over my right shoulder in time to see Tyler quietly shutting the door, unaware that I’m awake.

“Hey ninja,” I say, causing him to jump a little & look at me.

"Hey," He replies, smiling as he comes round my bed. I notice he has food & coffees from Harold’s. “How are you?”

“Better,” I reply. “Desperate to get out of here & snuggle on the couch with you while we watch movies.”

He smiles. “Who says I have the day off?”

“Uh… me?” I reply, sitting up. “I think I’ve earned the right to have you.”

“I already cleared it with Lucas.”

My jaw drops. “You cheek!” I exclaim, lightly hitting his arm.

He laughs. He leans over & presses his lips to mine. He pulls back, but I grab his head, keeping his lips to mine.

“I brought us some breakfast,” He says, when I finally let him go. “I know they give you some, but… This is better.”

“Uh… Not hard to be better,” I reply. “Why is hospital food so bad?”

He shrugs. “That's a mystery for eternity.”

I smile, struggling not to laugh.

****

Mum drops in after breakfast, to see how I am & to sign my discharge papers. She & Karl return a few minutes later.

“You are free to go,” Karl says. “I want you to take it easy for a couple of days, just to make sure. If you feel unwell, sit down & call for help, okay?”

I nod. “I will.”

“Good,” Karl says. “You can get dressed & leave.”

“Thanks, Karl.”

He leaves.

“We’ll wait for you outside,” Mum says.

Tyler gives my hand a squeeze, & I watch him follow Mum out before I get up.

****

I follow Terese over to a couple of chairs in the waiting area. We just reach them when her mobile rings.

“Excuse me,” She says, stepping away to answer it.

I sit down & wait. Terese comes back before Piper. I stand as she approaches.

“That was work,” She says. “There's some crisis, & they can’t handle it without me.”

“You can go sort it out,” I reply. “I can take Piper home.”

“Are you sure?”

I nod. “She wants to curl up on the couch & watch movies with me.”

She nods. “Okay, that sounds nice. Please tell her I'm sorry for having to leave.”

“I will.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

She turns to leave. Piper emerges in a clean set of clothes & crosses to me. We wrap our arms around each other & she presses her lips against mine.

“Where's Mum?”

“Work crisis,” I reply. “She wanted to stay & drive you home, but I said I could.”

“Awwww, you're such a good boyfriend.”

“We have a date with my couch, remember? I thought I’d save her the trip, given we’re going to end up together anyway.”

****

We spend the afternoon curled up on the couch under his doona, watching movies & enjoying having the house to ourselves.

He kisses my forehead. “How you going?”

"Better now that I’m with you,” I reply, lifting my head & looking at him.

He smirks, cupping my face with one hand & pulling me in for a kiss. The front door opens & we part as Paige & Mark walk in. Paige sees us & looks surprised.

“Oooo, look at you two!” She says.

Mark gives her left shoulder a gentle squeeze in warning.

"Since Aaron is working late with Son, I thought we'd order some take away,” Mark says to us. “You can stay if you’d like, Piper.”

I nod. "That would be good. I’ll let Mum know.”

“Good.”

"Thanks, Mark.”

“No worries,” He replies. “Any preference?”

I shrug. “Whatever you all feel like.”

He nods. “Ty, come help.”

Tyler groans. “Really?”

Mark gives him a look. Tyler sighs, slips out from under his doona. He joins Mark in the kitchen. Paige comes & settles on the couch with me, pulling the doona over her lap & legs.

“How are you?” I ask.

“Says the one who just got out of hospital after being drugged & nearly raped.”

“Hey, you’ve been through a lot too,” I reply. “And I’m not the one pregnant.”

“Can you not make that sound like a bad thing?”

“Uh… Says the one who was against the idea of having kids right now until you found out you're expecting.”

She glares at me. “I was merely hesitant, okay? It's a big commitment, & I was scared of being a terrible Mum & was feeling like I couldn't go do all the things I wanted to. But that all changed when I found out about our babies.”

“Wait… what?!”

She clasps her hands over her mouth.

“Did you just use the plural term?”

She looks at me, completely petrified. It's a long moment before she slowly nods.

“Oh my GOD!” I exclaim.

“What's going on?” Mark asks, as he & Tyler come back over.

I look at Tyler. “Did you know?”

He looks confused. “Know what?”

“That they're having twins?”

“Paige!” Mark chastises.

“It slipped out!” She replies.

“So did you?” I ask Tyler.

“No,” He replies, before turning to Mark with a ‘what the hell?’ look.

“I wanted to keep it a secret for a while,” Mark replies. “We’ve been through a lot of bad stuff lately… I wanted something for just the two of us to know.”

“So… We're first to know?” I ask.

Mark nods.

"When are you telling the others?”

Mark looks at Paige. “I guess tomorrow…”

Paige looks sheepish. “I'm sorry.”

“It was bound to come out.”

We congratulate them & then decide what to have for dinner.

****

I pull him into his room & draw him in for a kiss. He pushes the door closed while we kiss, before turning us & leading us over to his bed. He lifts me up just before he backs into his bed, holding me as we fall onto it. I straddle him, rubbing my hips against him, making us both groan. He slides his hands under my shirt & up my sides.

He holds me close & flips us, so I’m now pinned on his bed. He kisses my neck, & I can't wait to make love with him again.

He reaches down, & unbuttons my jeans. He sits up, kneeling between my spread legs. He pulls off my shoes & jeans. I flashback to the motel, but push the memories down. I won't let Brodie win!

He unbuckles his belt, & as he reaches for his jeans’ button… I look up at his face, but it's not Tyler anymore.

It's Brodie.

And I’m back in the motel room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh oh! Will Piper be okay? What will she do?


	22. The Wedge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper thinks she has the chance to defend herself from Chas. Will Piper's trauma from what Brodie did to her drive a wedge between her and Tyler?

I shake my head, pushing the image away. Tyler frowns, worried.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“Yeah,” I sigh.

“Are you sure?”

I nod.

“What's going on?”

“Ty, I’m _fine_.”

“Pipes…”

“The only thing I want to do right now,” I reply, sitting up. “Is make love with you.”

He looks at me, eyebrows narrowed so much he’s got wrinkles between them. It's cute. I pull off my shirt, tossing it aside as I lean forward, pulling him the rest of the way so we can kiss. We lie down, him on top of me, as our kiss deepens. He kisses down my neck, & I feel the memories of Brodie slipping away.

He pushes inside me, & I gasp as I arch my back. He slowly thrusts & I moan. After recent events, it feels so good being this close to him. He pushes himself up on his hands & looks down at me as he continues to thrust. I close my eyes, enjoying the waves of pleasure.

“Look at me, Pip.”

I snap my eyes open, faced with Brodie once again. And we're back at the hotel. We're back there, & _he's raping me_.

But there's one key difference this time. I’m not drugged with rohypnol. I can fight back. I _will_ fight back!

“Get off me!” I say.

“Piper.”

“GET OFF!!!”

I push him, trying to force him off but he's too strong.

“PIPER!”

“GET OFF!!!” I shout. “STOP!”

I push his chest again, screaming with the effort. When that fails, my instincts tell me to punch him. I swing, my fist colliding with his left jaw- he falls to my left, toppling off the bed. He hits the floor with a loud bang.

The sound snaps me back to reality. _Tyler's bedroom_. And it all comes crashing back- that I’m safe, away from Chas. He can't hurt me anymore. But most importantly, I just punched my boyfriend whilst we were making love.

“OH MY GOD!” I exclaim, crawling over to the edge of the bed.

Tyler is pushing himself up. He kneels beside the bed, resting his elbows on the mattress. He touches his left jaw, grimacing as his fingers touch where I punched him.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don't be,” he says through the pain.

There's a knock at his door. “Tyler?” Mark’s voice comes through the door.

"Hang on!" Tyler calls out. He turns to me. “You’ll want to cover up.”

I grab my shirt off the floor, putting it on as Tyler pulls his boxers back on. I also grab a pillow, placing it between my crossed legs to cover more of me up. Tyler crosses to his door & opens it. Mark’s standing there, wearing only boxers & ruffled hair. He looks very worried.

“Everything okay?” He asks. “We heard shouting & then a loud bang from in here.”

"Yeah, we're fine,” Tyler replies.

Mark looks at me, concerned as his cop instincts kick in. I sigh.

“I flashed back to the hotel with Chas,” I say.

Both of them look shocked.

“I’m okay,” I add. “I just… Freaked.”

“Don't blame you,” Tyler says. “It was a terrifying experience.”

I nod.

“And the loud bang?” Mark asks.

“I fell off the bed.”

“After I punched you.”

“ _What?!_ ” Mark asks, looking at Tyler shocked.

Tyler waves it off. “She just clipped me.”

“Enough to knock you off the bed.”

“I overbalanced.”

“Tyler, stop defending me.”

“It's not your fault.”

“Yeah, it _is_.”

“Go ice it,” Mark tells Tyler. “I'm glad you're okay.” He looks at me. “Both of you.”

I smile. “Thanks for coming to check on us.”

He nods. “You're welcome.”

“Thanks, bro.”

Mark nods. He then leaves. Tyler takes a step out the door.

“Where you going?” I ask.

“To find an ice pack or something.”

“I’ll come with you.”

“You don't have to.”

“Too bad, I am,” I reply as I stand up. I grab a pair of his shorts & pull them on. “Besides, it's my fault you need it.”

He sighs, knowing he can't fight it, slips his hand into mine & we head into the kitchen.

“Sit,” I say, pointing to a stool at the kitchen bench.

He stares at me for a moment, before doing as he’s told. I cross to the fridge, pulling open the freezer & getting an ice pack out. I shut the door & grab a tea towel, wrapping it around the ice pack so it won't be directly on his skin. I walk over to him, handing him the ice pack as I settle on a stool beside him.

“Thanks,” he says, putting it slowly against his left jaw.

“Least I could do after causing it.”

“You were just protecting yourself.”

“I still hurt you.”

“You thought it was the creep.”

“But it was _you_.”

“I’ve copped a lot worse than this.”

"I'm sorry."

“Don't.”

“Why? It's true!”

“You were doing what anyone would do in that situation, Pipes,” he replies. “Chas deserves as many punches as possible. I'm really proud of how hard you defended yourself.”

I look down at my lap. “I should go home.”

“What? No.”

I hop off the stool. I go to step past him, but he hooks his right arm around my waist to stop me from leaving.

“Let me go.”

“Only if you stay here.”

“I don't think it's a good idea for me to stay.”

He frowns. “Why? Because you hit me?”

“Yes, Tyler! Don't act like it's nothing!”

“Pipes, stop! Look, I should have listened to my instincts when they told me it was too soon to have sex. I should have known it would trigger bad memories.”

He puts the ice pack on the bench & cups my cheek. He locks eyes with me for a long moment.

“You’ve been through a very traumatic event,” he says. “He robbed you of the ability to defend yourself. Tonight, when what we were doing triggered your memory of that night, you were able to defend yourself. I don't blame you for what you did. I'm not even mad at you for it. In fact, I’m proud of my girlfriend. So please stop feeling so guilty. I’m okay. More importantly… _you're_ okay.”

I sigh, resting my forehead against his. “How did I get so lucky to have a boyfriend like you?”

He smiles. “You deserve it.”

I press my lips against his & he pulls me closer as he deepens our kiss. I wrap my arms around his neck, feeling the guilt slipping away. Feeling the memories of Chas slip away.

The front door opens & we break our kiss. Aaron pauses, partway inside the house.

“Don't mind me,” Aaron says, shutting the door.

“We should head back to my room,” Tyler says to me.

I nod. I step back, allowing him to get up. He does, scooping up the towelled ice pack. We link hands & head for the bedrooms.

“Woah, Gurtie!” Aaron says as Tyler approaches the doorway through to the bedrooms. “What's with the shiner?”

We stop. Tyler sighs.

"Don't worry about it, Az.”

Aaron looks at me, before looking at Tyler & nodding.

****

We enter my bedroom & I wait for her to come past me before shutting the door. I then cross to my wardrobe, pick out a t-shirt & walk over to her.

“Wow, I could get used to this,” She says as she takes my tee.

I smile. "Just don't want you getting cold.”

“I won't,” she replies. “I have you.”

I stifle my laugh. I cross to my bed & get in. I sit there, icing my left jaw as I watch her get changed into my tee. She walks around the base of my bed, my tee flowing over her petite frame like a dress. I put the ice pack on my bedside table, turning to my right as she crawls onto the bed. I shift down so I’m lying on my back as she slips her legs under the covers. I’m surprised when she straddles me.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to finish what we started before,” she says, leaning down & kissing me.

I push her back, breaking our kiss. “Are you sure?”

“I promise I won't freak out & hit you.”

“I think we should just leave it for tonight.”

"But I want you."

“So do I.”

“So why are you saying no?”

I sigh. “Pipes, I just don't think it's a good idea. We should take it slowly for a while.”

She hangs her head. She then lies down beside me.

“Right, so just when I think I’m free of that psycho, he manages to find a way of driving a wedge between us.”

I turn onto my right side. “He hasn't, Pipes.”

She looks at me. “But he has.”

I pull her closer, & she rolls onto her side.

“He hasn't come between us,” I reply. “If he had, I would have let you leave when you wanted to. Instead, I chose to stand by you. I’m here for you. I just don't think it's wise for us to rush things. Just fall asleep in my arms. We can discuss it further in the morning.”

She looks at me for a long moment. “I can do that.”

I smile. She shifts closer & I wrap my arms around her as she rests her head against my chest. I kiss the top of her head before resting my head on top of hers.


	23. Facing My Demons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the day of Brodie's hearing. How will Piper handle being forced to be in the room with him all over again, having to relive that horrible night?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise in advance for the coarse language. Had to be done.

I sigh as we stand outside the court building. Mum, Dad & Toadie are to my left. Tyler stands close to my right, our arms lightly brushing. It’s the day I’ve been dreading for over two weeks. Reliving the nightmare. Facing the psycho who has traumatised me.

  
“If this gets too much,” Toadie says to me. “Just tell me. I’ll call for a break.”

  
I nod, forcing myself to smile at him.

  
“Is there anything we should expect?” Mum asks.

  
“They’ll try their hardest to have as much of our case dismissed,” Toadie replies. “They’ll most likely try & attack individuals. Not just Piper. I’m expecting them to go after Tyler, as well as Mark. But I have a strong argument to counter their attacks.”

  
“And what can we do?” Mum asks.

  
“Be there,” Toadie replies. “Be supportive.” He looks at Tyler. “No matter what his lawyer says about you, Mark or Piper, I want you to stay calm, okay Tyler? You get angry, & it could jeopardise us.”

  
“That’s a little unfair, Toadie,” I reply.

  
“I know it sounds like it, but I promise you it isn’t, Piper,” he replies. “His lawyer will try & goad us into reacting. Any sign of anger could be exploited.”

  
“And you’re singling out Tyler?”

  
“I did slug the creep,” Tyler says. “That’s put a target on my back.”

  
“Exactly why I singled you out,” Toadie adds. “No doubt his lawyer will try & pin some assault charge or something as a counter for our charges. They’ll want to prove Tyler did the wrong thing. No doubt your relationship will fall under attack too.”

  
“Great, so the psycho drugs me up & tries to rape me, but Tyler & I become the bad guys.”

  
Tyler puts his arm around me.

  
“We all know that Tyler acted in defence. Brodie knows that too. But his lawyer will push it in order to get us on the defence. Anything to get him off the hook, or at least his sentence reduced.”

  
“Hey,” Tyler quietly says to me. “We’ve got this.”

  
I nod.

  
Mark walks up, dressed in his formal uniform.

  
“Hey, sorry I’m late. Paige had a huge case of morning sickness. Didn’t feel right leaving her.”

  
“Its fine, Mark,” Toadie says. “We’ve still got time.”

  
Mark steps over to me, & Tyler lets go so Mark can give me a hug.

  
“How are you doing?” He asks.

  
“Dreading facing him again,” I reply.

  
“You’re strong,” he replies. “And you have both me & Tyler here for support.”

  
“I thought you were supposed to be unbiased,” I reply, narrowing my eyes.

  
“On the outside, I am,” he replies. “Internally… I’m backing you.”

  
I smile. I hug him again.

  
“We should head in,” Toadie says.

  
Mark & I part. Tyler slips his left hand into my right hand. I smile & he smiles back, before we follow the others inside.

  
****

  
The wait in the meeting room is torturous. We’re sitting in the same order as we stood outside- Dad, Mum & Toadie to my left, & Tyler to my right. He’s holding my hand, his thumb gently rubbing the back of my hand. Mark is waiting outside, to maintain his unbiased front.

  
“What’s taking them so long?” Dad asks.

  
“Just stay calm,” Toadie replies. “They’re trying to put us off by making us wait. Making us impatient will be a tactic to unsettle us. It’s all a ploy to get us to be angry.”

  
“So it’s just another attempt to make us look like perpetrators?”

  
Toadie slowly nods. “Pretty much, yeah.”

  
The door opens before Dad can reply, & the Judge followed by Mark, a transcript writer & two security officers enter. Brodie’s lawyer enters next, followed quickly by Brodie himself. He smirks at me as he follows his lawyer over to the table. Tyler & I both tighten our holds on the others hand.

  
Toadie stands as they all approach the table. Dad, Mum, Tyler & I follow suit. In respect to the Judge. Mark stands at the end of the table to my right, keeping his distance from both sides. The writer takes a seat between Mark & Brodie’s lawyer. Brodie’s lawyer stands opposite Toadie. And much to my dread, Brodie chooses the seat directly across from me. The Judge takes the end seat to my left, the security officers standing at the wall behind. The Judge nods at each team & we all sit.  
The Judge looks at the transcript writer. She adjusts her keyboard & then nods at the Judge to signal she’s ready.

  
“This is the case of P Willis versus B Chaswick,” The Judge says. The transcript writer instantly starts typing. “I’m Judge Cameron Dawson. Prosecution lawyer is Jarrod Rebecchi. Defence lawyer is David West. Present for the Prosecution is Miss Piper Willis, Mr Brad Willis, Mrs Terese Willis & Mr Tyler Brennan. Present for the Defence is Mr Brodie Chaswick. Also present is Constable Mark Brennan of the Erinsborough Police Department.”

  
“On behalf of my client, I propose the dismissal of charges,” West says.

  
“Why?” Judge Dawson replies.

  
“The arresting police officer, Constable Brennan, is unbiased,” West says. “Not only is he a friend of the entire Willis family along with Mr Rebecchi. But his younger brother is the boyfriend of Miss Willis.”

  
“Constable Brennan is one of the finest officers in not only Erinsborough but the Victorian police force,” Toadie replies. “He is fully capable of maintaining professionalism & remains unbiased while working.”

  
“I agree with Mr Rebecchi,” Judge Dawson says. “Constable Brennan will remain. Anything else you seek to have removed, Mr West?”

  
“That’s all for now,” West says.

  
Judge Dawson nods. “This is how this will work,” He says. “Both lawyers will be granted time to ask questions to both Miss Willis & Mr Chaswick. We’ll then hear from Constable Brennan & Mr Brennan, who will be questioned by both lawyers. At the end, I will vacate to my office to consider the facts. My ruling will be final. However, if both sides can agree upon a deal while I am gone, then so be.”

  
West & Toadie nod.

  
“Mr Chaswick,” Judge Dawson says. “You will be asked first. Prosecution first.”

  
“Mr Chaswick,” Toadie says. “You have a history with the Willis family?”

  
“Yes,” Brodie says, staring at me.

  
“Please state for the record what that history is.”

  
“I used to be trained by Brad, alongside his son, Josh.”

  
“And why did Mr Willis stop training you?”

  
Brodie hesitates. “I wrongfully accused him & Josh of using steroids to improve Josh’s swimming.”

  
“Why did you arrive in Erinsborough this year?”

  
“I wanted Brad to be my coach once again,” Brodie says. “He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.”

  
“Why would you seek that?”

  
“Like I said, he’s the best coach.”

  
“Did you think that was wise, given how your relationship with Brad broke down?”

  
“I approached the family with sincere apologies about my accusations. I wanted to put the past behind us.”

  
“And how was that received?”

  
“Terese was open to hearing me out. In fact, the whole family was accepting of me. Brad was open to hearing me out, & Josh took a while but he too supported it. Imogen as well. The only one who acted with hostility towards me was Piper.”

  
Tyler grips my hand as Brodie stares at me once again.

  
“You & Piper have a far more personal history, don’t you?” Toadie says. “One that was, until recently, unknown to the rest of her family.”

  
Brodie nods, keeping his eyes on me. “We used to date. While she studied in Canada & I was there to swim.”

  
“When did that relationship end?”

  
“Objection!” West says. “Relevance?”

  
“Brodie’s past relationship with my client is vital to the case,” Toadie says. “I’m merely establishing the timeline for the record.”

  
Dawson nods. “Continue, Mr Rebecchi.”

  
“I ask again, when did that relationship end?”

  
“When Piper returned home last year,” Brodie replies.

  
“And when was that?”

  
“September.”

  
“And you’ve not talked to her between September & your arrival in Erinsborough?”

  
“I’ve tried texting, but she continued to tell me to stop.”

  
“So you knew prior to arriving here that your presence would be unwelcomed?”

“I believed that, once she saw me again, the feelings we both had for each other in Canada would resurface & she would want me to stay.”

  
“And was she reciprocating of your feelings?”

  
Brodie sighs. “No.”

  
“Did you back off? Did you respect her choice to not rekindle your relationship?”

  
“Everything I did, I did to win her back.”

  
“So kidnapping her, dosing her up with rohypnol & trying to rape her is okay because it would prove to her you love her?”

  
“Objection! He’s leading my client.”

  
“Denied,” Dawson says.

  
“Do you think that, when my client said no to being with you that it’s appropriate to force her into it?” Toadie asks.

  
“What’s your point?” Brodie asks.

  
“Merely wanting to clarify why you assaulted my client,” Toadie replies. “You obviously made a conscious choice to do what you did. I just want to have a proper understanding of that.”

  
“For the whole time we were together in Canada,” Brodie says. “She wouldn’t ever sleep with me. Which was understandable, given she was so young back then.”

  
“And now that she’s of consenting age, & refusing to be with you… does that justify forcing her into having sex with you?”

  
“She deserved to be punished.”

  
“Punished?” Toadie asks. “Why would an innocent schoolgirl need such punishment?”

  
“Because she’s more than happy to spread her legs for an older man she barely knows, yet deny me that despite the fact that I have a much longer history with her.”

  
I catch Tyler tense up beside me.

  
"Objection! Defamation of my client!” Toadie says.

  
“Sustained,” Judge Dawson replies. “Please make note of that in the records.”

  
The transcriber nods.

  
“Maybe if you weren't so egotistic, you may have had a better chance of us going that far,” I say to Brodie.

  
“Well, well, well. There's the two-faced bitch.”

  
Dad & Tyler both react. They go to stand, but Mum & I stop them- I dig my nails into Tyler's hand to stop him.

  
“You should dump her,” Brodie says to Tyler. “She hid our relationship from her parents.”

  
“They know about Tyler & I.”

  
“But not until _after_ I arrived,” he replies, smirking.

  
“You're so full of it,” I reply. “Think you're the centre of everything. But you're _nothing_ to me. I’m glad you refused to come home with me in September.”

  
This has struck a nerve in Brodie. His smug expression vanishes. I hadn't planned on saying anything else for now, but seeing him react that way inspires me to continue.

  
“I was devastated when you turned me down,” I say. “But now that I’ve seen the _real_ you… I’m glad we ended things. I’m glad that you were too self-centred to show your girlfriend, your so-called soul mate, the support that she needed from you as her family crumbled. That may have been a massive letdown at the time, but now that we’re here, I can see that it was really a saving grace.”

  
“Can we please return to the questions from the prosecution?” West asks.

  
Dawson nods. “Proceed, Mr Rebecchi.”

  
“I have no further questions at this moment, your Honour,” Toadie replies.

  
“Very well,” Dawson says. “Then we will proceed with the defence. Mr West.”

  
****

  
Tyler hands me a bottle of water.

  
“Thanks,” I say, taking it.

  
“You're welcome,” he replies, sitting down beside me.

  
After West had questioned Brodie, we were given a break. Mum, Dad & Toadie had gone to get coffees. Mark was busy checking in with Paige on his mobile, wanting to not be too close to us in case West tries to use it against us. I take a long drink from the bottle.

  
“How are you?” Tyler asks.

  
“Like I’m hanging upside down,” I reply, screwing the bottle cap back on.

  
“It’ll all be over after today.”

  
“Will it?” I ask, looking at him. “Two weeks ago, I hallucinated that he was raping me again, & I hurt you. What he did to me isn't going to easily go away.”

  
He nods before taking hold of my hand. “I know,” he says. “But I meant that he will be gone from our lives after today. The psychological scars he’s given you will stay, but you _will_ be able to heal. You’ll move on with your life, leaving that behind you. There's a chance you may never fully move on from this, but I know that I will be here every single day for you.”

  
I smile, leaning in & pressing my lips against his.

  
“Urgh, gross!” Brodie says.

  
We part & Tyler goes to stand but I stop him.

  
“Awwww, Pippy, don't ruin the fun!” Brodie says. “Let him stand up. I want to see what he does.”

  
“And give you the strongest point to your case? Not going to happen.”

  
Brodie is about to reply, but Toadie, Mum, Dad & West approach.

  
“You three better not be discussing the case,” Toadie says.

  
“Never,” I reply. “Brodie was merely trying to wind us up so Tyler would punch him.”

  
“Pippy is controlling him,” Brodie replies. “As _always_.”

  
“Mr West, please escort your client away. I’d like to talk to my clients.”

  
West & Brodie leave. Brodie looks back at Tyler & I, giving us a smirk over his shoulder.

  
“Urgh! Any chance we could speed things up so we can leave?” I ask.

  
“Sorry, but I can't do anything about it,” Toadie replies. “But hopefully once everyone has testified, we’ll be able to leave.”

  
“We don't have to be here for Judge Dawson’s decision?” Mum asks, surprised.

  
“If you wish, I will stay behind to hear it,” Toadie replies. “But we're not legally required. Brodie, however, is.”

  
“Good,” I reply. “I’d like to take advantage of that.”

  
Toadie nods. “You might feel differently after Mark has given his testimony.”

  
I frown at him. I’m about to ask him to elaborate, but we get called back in.

  
****

  
“What was your reaction to Brodie arriving in Erinsborough?” Toadie asks me.

  
“Shocked… Angry.”

  
“Why?”

  
“Because Brodie had refused to come in September. He chose his career over me when I needed him. His sudden arrival just made me mad & hurt. Because once again he was pushing his career further. While single-handedly setting a bomb under my family.”

  
“And when he approached you to rekindle your relationship, what was your reaction?”

  
“I made it clear that I wasn't interested.”

  
“And when he persisted to pursue you?”

  
I sigh. Tyler rubs my leg.

  
“The more he didn't listen, the more angry & frustrating it was,” I reply.

  
“How did he react when he learned you're dating Tyler Brennan?”

  
“He laughed. Mocked us. Told us we wouldn't last.”

  
“You were on your way home after school the day he attempted to rape you. That's correct?”

  
“I was on my way to Tyler's work. I do that a lot, even before we started dating. Because we were friends.”

  
“But you never made it to Fitzgerald Motors. Why?”

  
“Because Brodie waited until I was on my own, on my way to the garage, to approach me. He wanted me to go with him, & I refused. I tried to leave.”

  
“How did he react?”

  
“He grabbed me, refused to let me go despite me asking.”

  
“How did he get you into his car? How did he make you go to the hotel?”

  
“I struggled against him,” I reply. “So he used chloroform to knock me out. That way he could get me into his car & to the hotel, into his room without a fight.”

  
“You woke up there, at the hotel, an unknown time later. Correct?”

  
I nod. “Yes.”

  
“But you couldn't move?”

  
“No.”

  
“Why?”

  
“He had… Drugged me.”

  
“I’d like to refer to Exhibit A, your Honour,” Toadie says, placing a page on the table within Dawson’s reach. “This is the test results for Piper Willis, run by the Erinsborough hospital after she was admitted there. This proves that Brodie Chaswick administrated my client with the drug, rohypnol. Known commonly as the date rape drug, because it causes paralysis, which makes it easier for rape to occur.”

  
Judge Dawson picks up the page & reads it.

  
“There's an unknown dosage amount,” Dawson says.

  
“The lab at the hospital was unable to determine the amount administered,” Toadie replies. “But as stated in Exhibit B-” he places a folder in the same spot at the page. “This is Piper’s medical record. Doctor Karl Kennedy concluded, based off the test results that the dosage would have been quite high. This would mean she would be unable to move while he sexually violated her for several hours.”

  
Dawson examines the new file for several minutes. “Do you have any further questions for Miss Willis, Mr Rebecchi?”

  
“Yes, your Honour.”

  
“Continue.”

  
Toadie looks at me. “When you woke in the hotel, what did Brodie tell you?”

  
“He told me that I needed to be punished,” I reply. “I don't know why, but the only explanation I can think of is because I had refused to rekindle our relationship.”

  
“How did it make you feel, lying there, unable to move when you wanted to stop him?”

  
I sigh, shakily. “I felt helpless. And… Frustrated. Full of anger because I knew he'd given me something so I wouldn't be able to fight back.”

  
“In the weeks since that night, how has the events of that night affected you?”

  
“I have had many restless nights, haunted by nightmares. There was also one night, two weeks ago, not long after the assault, when…” I look at Tyler. He smiles reassuringly. “I was going to have sex with my boyfriend. Something triggered memories, & I thought I was back at the hotel. Back with Brodie. And he was raping me.”

  
“What did you do when you believed that?”

  
“I… I reacted the way I hadn't been able to in the hotel,” I reply. “I fought back.”

  
“Objection!” West says. “What exactly does her hitting her boyfriend have to do with my client?”

  
“The incident is evidence of the psychological trauma my client has suffered due to your client’s attempt to rape her.”

  
“Your objection is overruled.”

  
****

  
“Why did you choose to punch my client?” West asks Tyler.

  
“He was about to rape Piper.”

  
“How do you know he was going to rape her? How do you know that it wasn't consensual?”

  
“Because he was sitting between her legs, completely naked while she was calling out to me. It doesn't take much to understand it wasn't anywhere near being consensual.”

  
“In hindsight, would you agree that punching him to stop him was the best course of action?”

  
“He needed to not only be stopped from raping her, but to be detained until the authorities arrived to arrest him.”

  
“That didn't answer my question.”

  
“Actually, it did.”

  
****

  
I hug Mark tightly. “Thank you.”

  
“What for?” He replies as we still hug.

  
“You were amazing in there.”

  
“I just presented the facts.”

  
I pull back to look at him. “Still…”

  
“You're my sister-in-law,” he says. “I’m not going to stand back while some kid tries to tear you down & get away with it.”

  
“Awww, you're such a good, protective big brother.”

  
He smiles. “Tyler & Paige wouldn't let me ever forget if I didn't help you.”

  
“You wouldn't dare not help anyway,” I reply. “You're too good. It goes against your cop instincts.”

  
He smiles, trying not to laugh. “You know me too well, Piper.”

  
“Are you gonna stay, bro?” Tyler asks.

  
“Would love to, but I have to get back to the station. I’m working soon.”

  
“We’ll keep you updated,” I reply.

  
He nods. “You're going to win.”

  
I raise an eyebrow. “That confident, huh?”

  
He smiles. “You had him running the whole time.”

  
“Didn't feel like it,” I reply, staring at the floor.

  
“Hey,” he says.

  
I look at him.

  
“If there's one thing I’ve learnt since your family arrived, it's that the Willis women are the strongest willed women around,” he says. “You held your ground in there.”

  
I smile. “Thanks.”

  
“You're welcome,” he replies. “Tonight, everyone come to ours. We’ll get take away & just wind down after all of this.”

  
“Really?”

  
“It's been a rough few months for all of us.”

  
“Sounds good.”

  
“Then it's sorted.”

  
“I’ll let the others know,” Tyler says.

  
Mark nods. “Invite the whole street.”

  
Tyler nods. “Will do.”

  
****

  
Tyler walks me back into the room, his arm around me as we follow Toadie, Mum & Dad. Brodie & West are already there, sitting down. We cross to our seats. It doesn't take long before Judge Dawson, the security officers & the transcriber enter. When everyone bar the officers have taken their seats, Dawson begins.

  
“Before I give my ruling,” Dawson says. “Have you made a settlement?”

  
“We made an offer,” West says. “The prosecution turned it down.”

  
“Because it was absurd & the defence knows it.”

  
“Alright, alright, settle down,” Dawson says. “Therefore it comes down to my ruling.”

  
He stays quiet & I hate it. _Just hurry up so we can leave_. Tyler takes hold of my hand, giving it a slight squeeze.

  
“I have considered everything presented here today thoroughly,” Dawson says. “And I have found there is only one possible conclusion to all of this.” He looks at Brodie. “There is an overwhelming amount of evidence to support the theory that you not only drugged Miss Willis with the intent to sexually assault her, but that you did it after thorough planning. This cannot be ignored. Therefore, I am ruling that you are guilty on all accounts. You are sentenced to five years & nine months in juvenile detention, with a non-parole of thirty months.”

  
Brodie & West are angry. Everyone on my side of the table sigh in relief.

  
“Given your age, Mr Chaswick,” Dawson says. “I must consider that you will be too old for juvenile detention before your sentence is complete. Therefore I am ordering that the last eighteen months of your sentence will be in jail.”

  
“Your Honour, that is far too harsh!” West says.

  
“Given how severe your client’s actions were, along with the long term psychological trauma those actions have on Miss Willis, I find your client’s sentence appropriate,” Dawson replies. “You may appeal this, if you wish to pursue it further. However I recommend you wave that right.” Dawson looks at me. “I am terribly sorry for what you went through, Miss Willis. You showed much courage today. I wish you the very best for the future, & I hope today proves to give you much needed closure.”

  
“Thank you, your Honour,” I reply.

  
Dawson looks at Brodie. “You have till ten o’clock tomorrow morning to get your affairs in order, Mr Chaswick. Report back here to the courts, where you will be transported to the juvenile detention facility. Fail to arrive by ten o’clock, & I will be forced to grant the Victoria Police with a warrant for your immediate arrest. Please take note that any attempt to avoid going to the juvenile detention will result in a far harsher sentence to be given.”

  
****

  
“PIPPY!”

  
I feel Tyler tense during our hug.

  
“Stay calm, Tyler,” I whisper.

  
We part, Tyler stepping ever so slightly in front of me to be between me & Brodie.

  
“What do you want?” Tyler asks.

  
“I just wanted to say that this is far from over,” Brodie says to me. “I _will_ be appealing,  & I _will_ make you suffer.”

  
Tyler starts to step forward. I grab the back of his shirt & pull him back.

  
“And one more thing for your guard dog,” Brodie says. “My lawyer is filing assault charges against you for that night.”

  
“Do your best,” Tyler says. “You’ll just fail again. No one will accept your plea.”

  
Brodie grins sadistically. “Wow, she _really_ has you wrapped around her pinkie,” Brodie says. “I wonder how long it will take before you realise that she's manipulating everything you do. That she's no more than an attention seeking whore.”

  
Tyler raises his fist to punch him.

  
“Ah ah ah,” Brodie says. “I may not be able to get the charges against you punching me at the hotel to stick, but I have far better odds if you do it right now.”

  
“Oh, I’ll gladly do a lot more than just punch that smug look off your ugly face,” Tyler replies.

  
Brodie laughs, turning his attention to me. “You really like them violent, don't you? You act all innocent, but beneath that good girl outer shell, you're a whore craving the violence. You know you wanted it so bad. Admit it. You wanted me to fuck you as hard as possible that night. To make you scream from the pain, driving your whole body wild with the desire for more. Because that's who you really are, aren't you, Pippy? A rebellious whore-”

  
I let go of Tyler's shirt. Seconds later, Tyler's fist collides hard with his smug face, blood spraying everywhere as his nose breaks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will happen now that Tyler has punched Brodie? Will he be charged? How will the others react?


	24. The Shock Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler faces the consequences of punching Brodie; Mark makes an announcement, & a familiar face makes a shock return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short update, but I feel like it needed to be. Big stuff coming.

She lets out another long moan as I massage her shoulders, her head rolling back.

“You know,” I whisper into her ear. “If you keep moaning like that, we're gonna have to take this into our room.”

She bites her lip. “That wouldn't be such a bad idea…”

I stop massaging, stepping round her with my eyebrow raised. “Oh _really_?”

She bands her arms around my neck. “Yes,” She replies. “My hormones are going gangbusters thanks to our two babies.”

I smirk. “Is that so?”

“Mmmhmmm,” she replies, leaning in to kiss me.

I wrap my arms around her as we kiss.

“We have a couple of hours until everyone's here for dinner,” she says. “And we can't do it after that because you have the early shift, so…”

I smirk, leaning in to claim her lips with mine. I’m lifting her off the stool to carry her through to our room, when the front door opens. I lower her back onto the stool as we stop kissing. Tyler’s holding the door open for Piper.

“Sorry to… Interrupt,” Piper says, looking awkward.

“You're not,” Paige replies. “How did it go today?”

“Apart from being trapped in the same room as Brodie for most of the day, having to relive what he did to me? It was alright.”

Tyler nudges her slightly. “Tell them the ruling.”

Piper’s hesitation has me worried.

“They didn't find a way to get him out of it, did they?” I ask.

“He's… In juvi for the next five years,” Piper says. “Thirty months non-parole.”

Paige & I look shocked.

“So… Why the hesitation?”

Piper hesitates. “Because… Tyler…” She sighs. “Tyler may be charged with assault.”

I frown. “ _What?!_ ”

“After the ruling, Judge Dawson has given Brodie till ten tomorrow morning to hand himself in. And Brodie decided to approach us, purely to goad Tyler into hitting him.”

“Tyler! What were you thinking?”

“That I should have done more than make his nose bleed.”

I groan, running my hands over my face.

“Would you honestly being doing that if you were there?” Tyler asks. “What if it had been you & Paige instead of Pipes & myself? What if you were standing there, listening to a guy call Paige a ‘manipulative whore’? Would you honestly stand there & do _nothing_?”

“I would put the guy under arrest.”

“And if you weren't a cop?”

“You _don't_ play into his hands, Tyler! He _wanted_ you to punch him, because it means he can press assault charges! Do you understand that this could potentially affect the ruling against Brodie? His lawyer will try  & push that your punch today is just like the one you threw in order to save Piper, & if they succeed it could aid them in their appeal & that could impact on his sentencing!”

“I KNOW! I JUST COULDN’T STAND THERE DOING NOTHING!” Tyler shouts. “He's done _so_ much damage to our lives,  & the smug idiot thought he could get away with calling her a ‘manipulative whore’ on top of ‘two-faced bitch’ & every other rude name he said during the hearing. I can see now that it was a dumb move, but in the heat of the moment it was the best thing that I could do.”

I open my mouth to reply, but he cuts in.

“Save it, bro,” He says. “I get it. You're mad at me.”

He heads for the bedrooms.

“Tyler,” I say.

But he keeps going. I sigh, turning back to Paige as I run my hand over my face.

****

I follow Paige back in from the backyard, sighing when I see Piper dragging Tyler into the kitchen from the bedrooms. He sees me & tries to head back to his room, but Piper slips in front of him & blocks his way.

“Neither of you two are leaving this room until you work things out,” Paige says. “In case you forgot, we have friends & family coming over shortly, & Piper & I don't want two brooding lovers. So just hurry up & apologise to each other.”

"What's there to apologise for?” I ask.

Paige gapes at me. She then hits my arm.

“Here's the thing, Mark,” Paige says. “Yes, it was a stupid thing for Tyler to do-”

“Hey!” Tyler protests.

“Just wait,” Paige says to him. She looks at me. “But you know, if you’d quit being a cop for long enough, you’d see that you’d do the same. Brodie had been antagonising them all day. Surely you saw some of it.” She steps closer to me. “Tyler was right before. If the two of us were in their places, & one of my exes was saying those things about me… You would honestly not defend me?”

“I wouldn't punch the guy.”

“No, you’d just arrest the idiot,” she replies. “But your brother can't do that. So just apologise to him!”

I shake my head.

“See. He can't even admit that he was wrong!” Tyler says.

“Says the one who got in trouble in the first place!” I snap back.

“At least I admitted that I did something wrong!”

“HEY!” Piper shouts. “Just drop it! Both of you! You both did wrong, & both need to apologise. Toadie is handling the charges that Brodie's trying to have put on you, Tyler, & it would be really good if you two would stop bickering like a pair of toddlers!”

I sigh, knowing Paige & Piper are right. “I’m sorry for getting cross with you.”

All three of them look surprised by my sudden change of mind.

“It was a reckless move to punch him-”

“Knew you didn't mean the sorry,” Tyler says.

“It was reckless but I understand now why you did it,” I say. “I always think like a police officer, & I judge you in that mindset. You were right before. If it was a guy saying those things about Paige, I wouldn't just stand there & not defend her.”

Paige smiles.

Tyler nods. “And I’m sorry for getting angry at you.”

“Good! Now hug it out,” Piper says.

Tyler & I look at her, confused.

“You usually do that.”

“She's right,” Paige says. “You do tend to hug after you’ve made up.”

Tyler & I look at each other. We step closer & hug.

****

Toadie, Steph & Nell are the first to arrive.

“Good, you're all here,” Toadie says to Tyler, Piper, Mark & I. “I have some good news.”

“Please tell me it's about Brodie not pressing charges?” Mark asks.

“Sort of,” Toadie says. “He did press charges.”

Mark sighs.

"But I was able to find a couple who saw the whole thing between Tyler, Piper & Brodie,” Toadie says. “And they were willing to tell the police that Brodie was taunting Tyler. The police dismissed the charges.”

Tyler, Piper, Mark & I are relieved.

“That's great!” I say.

“Thanks, Toadie,” Tyler says, extending his hand out.

“No worries,” Toadie replies, shaking his hand.

****

“Attention everyone,” Mark says, standing up. “I have an announcement to make.”

“No, no, no, no!” I say.

Everyone looks at Mark.

“Firstly, I just want to thank you all for coming. It's been a rough few months, & it's good to have a night when we can all catch up,” Mark says. “I know today was especially hard on Piper. But she has closure now with Brodie, & that's worth going through everything she did this morning.”

Piper smiles, Tyler putting his arm around her & kisses her temple.

“I think this is the best time to make this announcement,” Mark says, pulling me to my feet.

“Please don't!” I whisper, as he wraps an arm around me.

“As you all know, we're having a baby,” Mark says to everyone. “But what you don't know… We're having twins.”

Everyone but Tyler & Piper look shocked. Everyone takes turns hugging & congratulate us- Tyler & Piper do it to keep up appearances. Mum & Dad pull me aside.

“Why didn't you tell us before?” Mum asks.

“I… I thought we were,” I reply. “I didn't know Mark was going to drop it like that before we’d talked to you.”

“He's just excited about it,” Dad says.

I nod. “I know,” I reply. “It just would have been nice to do it with just us & his brothers first.”

****

Everyone's gone by 10pm, since it's the middle of the working week. Piper’s staying overnight, so she helps Tyler, Aaron, Paige & I clean up.

“You should go sleep,” I tell Paige as I wrap my arms around her.

“Only if you come with me,” She replies.

"Mmm, sounds like a good plan," I reply. I look at the others. "You three okay to finish on your own?"

“What? The obsessive cleaner wants to bail before the job is done?” Tyler teases.

“Ha ha,” I reply flatly.

"It's fine, we’ve got this,” Aaron says.

I nod. “Night all.”

“Night,” Tyler, Piper & Aaron says.

I usher Paige towards our bedrooms, as she says goodnight to the others. But just as we reach the door through to our bedrooms, there's a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it,” I tell the others.

I cross to the door & open it. Standing there with luggage, a black eye that's several days old, & a female toddler in her arms is

“Erin?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is Erin back? And who is the young girl she has with her?


	25. Erin's Bombshell

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's here, & it might be permanently. But why is she here? Why does she have a black eye? And who is the little girl with her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another short chapter, but things are starting to amp up to something big.

_“Erin?”_

I smile. “Hey, Markie.”

He frowns, stunned & confused to see me. He snaps out of it, stepping aside to let me in. I step past him, he grabs my luggage & bring it inside. I turn to the others as he shuts the door, seeing their shocked faces.

“Sorry to just turn up unexpected,” I say.

“It's good to see you,” Aaron says, giving me a hug.

“You too, Az,” I reply.

“And whose this little cutie?” Aaron asks.

“This is Felicity,” I reply. “Felicity Delta Emily… Brennan.”

They're all shocked.

“She's your…” Mark says. “Daughter?”

“No, I happened to find a toddler with our surname,” I sarcastically reply. “Of _course_ she's my daughter, Mark!”

“How… How come she didn't come with you last time you were here?” Tyler asks.

“Because the last time I was here, Mark was on his potential death bed & I didn't think it was appropriate to bring my eighteen month old daughter whom none of you have met,” I reply.

“Why are you here?” Mark asks. “And what happened to your eye?”

“I want to tell you, I really do,” I reply. “But I’m exhausted. It's been a long day, & then the flight here…” Felicity rests her head on my shoulder. “Felicity’s well past her bedtime… I’m sorry, but… Can it wait till tomorrow?”

Mark nods. “Sure.”

“Thank you.”

“You can sleep in our spare room,” Mark says. “But we don't have a bed for her.”

“It's okay. She can sleep in my bed with me. At least until we can get her a bed.”

Mark picks up my bags. “Come with me.”

I say goodnight to the others, & follow Mark through to my bedroom. He flicks on the light, & I remember this is where I slept last time.

“The bedding is all clean,” Mark says, placing my bags down.

“Thanks,” I reply. “You're being really sweet, given how I just turned up unexpectedly on your doorstep late at night.” I look at Felicity, now asleep. “Not to mention I haven't told you about Felicity.”

He smiles as he steps over to me.

“You're my little sis,” He replies. “I wouldn't turn you away. Ever.”

I smile. He places his hand on Felicity's head.

“As for Felicity,” he says. “I don’t mind that you haven't mentioned her to us. We haven't talked in years till recently, & that wasn't under the best of circumstances. And I know you’ll tell me everything about my niece tomorrow.”

I smile. “I will.”

He pulls me into a hug, carefully avoiding squishing Felicity.

“Whatever's going on in your life,” he says, still hugging me. “Whatever happened to cause you to have a black eye & come here… You’ve got all of us now.”

“I know.”

“Get some sleep,” he says. “I better go do that myself. I have an early shift.”

I nod. He kisses my forehead & then kisses Felicity. He walks over to the door.

“Mark?”

He pauses at the door & looks at me.

“Thank you. Again.”

He smiles. “You're always welcome,” he says. “Sleep well.”

“You too.”

****

I come home after my shift at 4pm, to find Tyler, Aaron & Erin in the lounge with Felicity.

“Hey,” I say, walking over.

“Look, Felicity!” Erin says. “Look who's home! Uncle Mark!”

“Hey Felicity!” I say, squatting down between the couch & the chair.

Felicity doesn't come too close.

“Go on, Felicity,” Erin says. “Give your Uncle Mark a hug!”

“It's fine if she doesn't,” I reply. “New place, new people… Don't blame her for being so scared.”

“Yeah,” Erin replies, nodding. “Uh… Can we talk?”

I nod. “Sure.”

Erin looks at Aaron & Tyler.

“We’ll look after her,” Aaron says.

She smiles. “Thanks.”

I lead Erin over to the kitchen. “So what's up?”

She sits down on one of the stools. “I want to tell you why I'm here.”

I sit down.

“I don't really know where to start.”

“Just take a deep breath, & start from the beginning.”

She takes a deep breath in, holds & slowly releases. “For the last year, I’ve been dating this guy,” she says. “He was great. Really supportive of me. And then the last few months…” She sighs. “Not so much.”

“He's the one who hit you.”

She nods. “Yeah.”

“Oh, Erin.”

“At first, it wasn't like this,” she says. “It was about 4 months ago when it started. He would just loose his temper. Yell at me. Smash things. It would never be on me.”

“And when did he start hurting you? Physically hurt you?”

“He slapped me once,” she replies. “Uh… Like… Two months ago. It wasn't that bad.”

“Erin.”

“Honestly, Mark. It didn't leave a bruise, & it wasn't that hard.”

“Yeah, & now it's a black eye & you're here.”

“Because the black eye is the worst thing he's done.”

“Don't defend him!”

“I’m _not_!” She replies. “When you had your accident, I came out here. He knew I didn't trust him to look after Felicity, so I left her with a close friend. And he respected that. He kept his distance while I was gone,  &…” She sighs. “When I got back, it took a few weeks, but I… I let him back in. Which was stupid, I see that now. But he wasn't so angry. And I still loved him.”

I nod. “So what led to the black eye?”

“He never got mad in front of Felicity. At least not one of his rages,” She says. “But… A couple of weeks ago… He lost his temper. Not _at_ her, so just listen. Something else caused him to lose his temper,  &…” She looks over to Felicity, Aaron & Tyler. “I feared for her. I knew he wouldn't hurt her, but there was a moment when… She was playing, & he… He came _really_ close to her. I don't think he even saw her, he was walking around so angrily. And I… I stepped between them, to shield her. And that's when this happened…” She points to her black eye.

“What did you do? Did you report him?”

She shakes her head.

“ _Erin!_ ”

“That's what you would do, but _my_ priority is keeping my baby safe,” She replies. “She will _always_ be my first priority. I packed what I could for both of us  & left with Felicity. I stayed with Caitlin, my friend who looked after Felicity when I was here. We waited until the next day, when he was working & went back for the rest of our things. Caitlin & her husband, Grant came & helped. I decided I needed to get as far away as possible, so I wrapped up my work & came here.”

I frown. “Not that I’m against you being here, I think it's great that you are, but… Why didn't you ask Mum or Dad for help?”

“Mum refused,” she replies. “She hasn't exactly been supportive of my choices since she found out about me being pregnant.” She looks at her hands. “And Dad?” She looks up at me. “I wouldn't trust him with Felicity any more than I trust my ex. Not after what he did to Ty.”

“Well,” I say, reaching out & taking her hand. “You have our full support.”

She smiles. “Thank you.”

I smile. “You're welcome.”

“This is going to be good for us,” she says, looking over to Felicity.

“Yeah,” I reply, also looking over to Felicity. “It's going to be good having another kid in the house.”

“Good practice for your own two.”

I look back at her. “How did you know?”

“That you're having twins? Az & Ty have been catching me up on things.”

“Right. Would've been nice to tell you that myself.”

“Awwww!” She says. She hops off her stool & hugs me. “Congratulations.”

“Thanks.”

We part.

“What's his name?”

She frowns. “Huh?”

“Your ex,” I reply. “I’ll organise for a restraining order so he can't get to you.”

She hesitates. In fact, retracts from me. “I… I don’t know if that's a good idea.”

“He won't be able to hurt you, Erin.”

She shakes her head.

“If you're desperate enough to have fled South Australia to get away from him, then you're clearly scared enough of him that you need a restraining order.”

“I don't want one, Mark!” She snaps, before walking off.

I get up. “Erin, please!”

She stops, hand on the front door handle. She spins around to face me.

“ _Fine_ , his name is Edward Dimato!” She snaps. “ _There_. I said it. I call him Eddie, but his name is Edward Dimato!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh! So who is Edward Dimato? And is he related to Dennis Dimato?


	26. Brother & Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark and Erin discuss her ex, which leads to Mark making a proposition that has Erin worried and reluctant to agree.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I just want to say that this chapter focuses so much on the relationship that Mark and Erin have. I see them being the closest- that she's closer to him than Tyler or Aaron, despite both of them being closer to her age (remember Erin is between Tyler and Aaron in age). It's also setting up a crucial new storyline.

“Erin!” He says, following me out the front.

I head down the steps. I just want to go for a walk, let him calm down a bit. I make it halfway before I can't stop the tears & I sit down.

Mark slowly descends the stairs & sits down beside me. We sit in silence for a while, before he finally decides to put his right arm around me. I lean into him, crying as he presses a kiss into my hair.

“Were you ever going to tell me?” He asks.

“What? That I fell madly in love with an idiot named Eddie? Or the fact that he's related to your nemesis?”

“Both,” he replies. “But more the latter.”

I sniff. “I was kinda hoping… Never.”

He rubs my back. “I’d rather you be honest, than avoid the truth. I’d rather hear it from you, than anyone else.”

“Yeah, not my proudest moment,” I reply. “Not telling you and dating that idiot.”

“Just focus on the fact that you're here now. Safe. And so is Felicity.”

I sit up & wipe away tears. “Yeah. Barely.”

He frowns.

“What are you thinking?”

“He's not…” He says, looking at me. “Felicity…”

“God, _no!_ ” I reply. “Felicity's dad is another ex.”

He sighs.

“I wish that had worked out.”

“Why didn't it?”

“Ummm…” I sigh. “Jesse was lovely. I thought we could be soulmates. But… I found out _way_ too late that he didn't want kids. Not that I knew that I was pregnant when he told me, but… I was pregnant.”

He rubs my back again.

“I told him & we had a huge argument,” I say. “I think part of him believed that I had _intentionally_ gotten pregnant to trap him. Force him into being a family with me. But I hadn't.” I sigh. “We broke up. I said I wanted to keep her,  & he agreed to help pay for things. Help pay to raise her.”

“Does he know about this?”

I shake my head. “Last time I heard, he was posted in Afghanistan,” I reply. “He joined the army when Felicity was a couple of months old.”

“Right.”

“Don't be mad. He's allowed to live his life.”

“While you end up with an abusive idiot related to the nastiest criminal.”

“True. But Felicity has her protective Uncle Markie looking out for her.”

He looks at me, eyes slightly narrowed. “Don't you dare play the cute niece card on me.”

“Well, you didn't know you had one for eighteen months of her life,” I reply. “Gotta make up all the missed opportunities to use it on you.”

He smiles.

“What?”

“It's good to see you smile again.”

I smile. “Being around you is lifting my spirits.”

“Awwww, did you miss me?”

“Ya duhhhh!” I reply. “I miss the days when you used to solve all my problems.”

“Problems being mostly boys trying to hit on you when you were fourteen.”

“And other stuff.”

He nods. “I’ve missed you too.”

I smile. "There's something else you should know.”

He looks worried. “What is it?”

“You know how Eddie is… Is related to Dennis Dimato?”

“How is he?”

“Dennis is his Uncle.”

“Right.”

"Well... Promise me you won't get too angry at this.”

He frowns. “At what?”

“A few weeks ago…” I sigh. “I met Dennis.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“Please don't be mad!”

“Went _waaaaay_ past that when you said you’ve met the man who almost killed Paige, our twins  & me!”

“Okay, do I get the chance to tell my side of things?”

“How about you start by telling me why you let a _murderer_ near Felicity?”

“That's unfair cause I didn't know who he was back then!” I reply. “I _didn't_ know that _your_ Dimato was my boyfriend’s uncle! Do you realise how many people there are in the world with that surname?”

“Alright,” he says, calming down a bit. “How did you figure out who he was?”

“He recognised a photo of you.”

He stares at me. Knowing his anger is brewing again, I grab his hand in both of mine, a tactic I figured out when we were younger to keep him focused on me.

“I wasn't there when he did,” I say. “He saw one when he was at Eddie’s home. I don't even know if he knows that Eddie told me about it.”

“But Dennis knows you're my sister.”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “Eddie said Dennis recognised you, Tyler & Aaron in a photo with me. According to Eddie, he called Tyler ‘an old friend’.”

“Did he say anything about us to you?”

“Dennis?”

“ _Don’t_ call him _that_!”

“Fine, _Dimato_ didn't say anything about any of you to me,” I reply. “In fact, I met him before he knew who I was.”

He nods. “Did… Did you ever happen to… Overhear them… Discussing anything?”

I sigh, tilting my head to the side. “I knew you'd go there,” I reply. “Good on you for lasting as long as you did.”

“I think less like a cop & more like a protective older brother with you.”

I smile. “Your children are going to be lucky to have you.”

He smiles. “I’m lucky to have them.”

“So… Uh… If I was… Able to… Help you get Den- uhh Dimato…”

He shifts closer. “You will be helping a huge amount,” he says. “So you did you overhear them talking?”

I hesitate before slowly nodding.

"Tell me everything.”

****

“I don't know,” Erin says, as I follow her back inside.

“Just take a while to think about it,” I reply, shutting the front door.

“Think about what?” Aaron asks from the lounge.

“I told Mark that I overheard Eddie talking with his Uncle Dennis about stuff that Mark wants to use to put him behind bars.”

“Wait,” Tyler says, frowning. “So our sister dated the nephew of our worst nightmare?”

“Yes, but like I told Mark, I didn't know that until recently!” She replies. “And now I’m being pressured into testifying against the most powerful member of probably the biggest criminal family in Australia that's not behind bars. Despite the fact that I’ve _just_ moved interstate to escape them!”

“Erin, I get that you're scared. I really do,” I reply, stepping closer to her. “But putting Dimato behind bars is worth the risk. He's created so much pain & destruction, to the community but also to all of us.”

“I’m lucky the worst Eddie did was give me a black eye,” She replies. “You haven't seen him when he's angry, Mark. You don't know what he’ll do if he finds out that I’m testifying against his Uncle. The pressure from Dimato on Eddie to hit back will be _so_ massive, Mark! And it's not just my life at risk! Like I said before, Felicity will _always_ be my first priority. What you're asking me to do, will put a _massive_ target on my back! Felicity's already growing up without her father. Do _not_ ask me to risk making her motherless!”

I put my hands on her arms, trying to calm her. “I would _never_ put your life at risk without having a plan in place,” I reply. “Agree to this,  & the police will ensure that you're safe.”

“What if that's not enough?” She asks, fighting back tears. “What if they _can't_ keep me safe?”

“You're forgetting that I will be there,” I reply, bending my knees so I’m level with her face. “I will always have your back.”

“You're gonna be my bodyguard twenty-four seven?”

I smile. “If that's what it takes… Yes.”

She hesitates. “I’ll think about it.”

I pull her into a hug. She wraps her arms around me tightly, resting her head against my chest.

****

I’m on my way to my bedroom from the bathroom when Erin slips out of her room, quietly shutting the door behind her.

"I'm glad I caught you," She says, softly.

“Oh? Why?” I reply, softly.

“While I was sitting with Felicity, waiting for her to fall asleep, I’ve been… Thinking.”

“About my offer?”

She nods. “Yeah.”

“And?”

She sighs. “I kept going back to the same point,” she says. “That even if I refuse to do it, eventually it will come back to bite me. All I want, is for Felicity to be safe. I don't want to spend the rest of my life, looking over my shoulder, fearing whatever retaliation they’ll eventually take.”

“So you’ll do it?”

“I realise now, that taking a stand right now,” She says. “That's the best choice. Face them head on. Eliminate them.”

I smile. “You're doing the right thing.”

“Just make sure we’re protected.”

“Of course, baby sis,” I reply. I reach out to her. “Come here.”

She steps closer, arms wrapping round me as mine wrap around her.

“I’m proud of you,” I whisper, before kissing the top of her head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin has agreed to testify against Dimato. But will the police protection be enough?


	27. 4:45PM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's settling in to her life in Erinsborough. But will her testimony against Dimato cause her more trouble than she was expecting?

“You're doing the right thing,” Mark says, walking myself & Felicity out of the police station after I’ve given my statement.

“Yeah,” I reply with a sigh.

“Hey,” he replies. “There's nothing to worry about. We're going to organise for protection, which will be yours by the end of today.”

“I know, & I appreciate it,” I reply. “I just can't help but worry about what Eddie will do.”

“Call me any time you want, Erin. I’ll answer every time. Even if it's just to reassure you that you're safe.”

I smile. “I don't want to disrupt your day.”

“You won't.”

“Well then, we’ll have to call him regularly, won't we Felicity?” I look at Felicity. “Hmmm? We’ll regularly call Uncle Markie!”

He smiles, laughing a little. Sonya walks up.

“Hey Mark,” She says.

“Hey Sonya.”

“It's lovely to see you again, Erin,” she says.

“You too, Sonya,” I reply, smiling.

“And who is this little girl?”

“My daughter, Felicity.”

“Hi Felicity,” Sonya says.

“Erin & Felicity are staying with us for a while,” Mark says. “Felicity will need to be in childcare. I’d show them to the community centre, but I have to work.”

“Well, you're in luck,” Sonya replies. “I’m on my way over there now, for a meeting with our new director of our childcare. So you can come with me & I’ll introduce you.”

“If it's not too much of a hassle,” I reply.

“I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” She replies. “Are you ready to go?”

I nod, before looking at Mark. He steps over & hugs me, careful not to squish Felicity. He kisses Felicity's head.

“I’ll see you later,” he says. “Have a good day.”

“You too,” I reply, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

He says goodbye to Sonya & we watch as he walks back into the station. I turn to Sonya & smile. We walk side by side as we head for the community centre.

“So how long are you planning on being here?” Sonya asks.

“Haven't decided yet,” I reply.

“You don't want to go back home?”

“There's nothing left there for me.”

“Oh,” she says. “Oh, I’m… I’m sorry.”

“It's fine. I think being here will be good.”

“Yes. Erinsborough is a great suburb. And you have your brothers.”

I nod. “They're the reason I came here. I need them.”

“I… I don't want to pry, but… Mark, as you know, is my friend. And I’m good at listening & giving advice. I actually run the AA meetings at the community centre. So if you… If you ever want to talk…”

I smile. “That's very kind of you.”

She smiles. “I want you to feel welcome here.”

“I already do.”

“That's good,” she says, nodding.

We approach the community centre, & Sonya hurries ahead a few steps to hold the door open for me.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling as I step in.

“You're welcome.”

****

I walk into _Harold’s_ for lunch, having spent the rest of the morning at the community centre. Sonya’s introduction to the childcare director was great. It's a good team, not too many children, so there's plenty of one-on-one time between the staff  & each child. The new director had even offered for me to spend the morning there with Felicity, to see if it works for us. Felicity loved it.

I spot Tyler, Mark & Paige at a table across the far side & I cross to them. Mark’s face lights up when he sees Felicity. He instantly gets up & steps over to me.

“Heyyyy girl!” He says, taking Felicity from me.

“Wow! Dad mode has kicked in very early!” I reply.

“What? Can't I be excited to see my probably only niece?”

“I’d be offended,” Tyler says. “If it wasn't so accurate.”

“Awwww, I’m sure you'll have kids some day,” I reply, as Mark & I sit down.

“Yeeeah, no.”

I place a hand on his shoulder. “You’ll change your mind one day.”

He forces a smile. Lauren walks over.

“Hey, Erin,” she says. “It's good to see you again.”

“Hey Lauren, it's good to see you too.”

“Would you like some lunch?”

“Yes, I’m craving a chicken burger.”

“Well, you're in luck. We're testing out a new burger idea,” she says. “It's kind of like a caesar salad- lettuce, egg, bacon, and chicken, with a mayo based sauce.”

“You know me too well.”

She smiles. “What would you like to drink?”

“I wanna say a chocolate milkshake, but that's probably too much…”

“After what you’ve been through,” Mark says. “You deserve to be cheeky.”

I smile. “Then it's done.”

Lauren nods. “And would you like some mashed veggies for the little one?”

“How do you do that? Read my mind.”

She smiles. “It's just experience. Motherly instinct.”

“Well, yours is spot on. Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” Lauren says. “I’ll be back soon.”

She leaves & I look over to Mark. He's making faces at Felicity, who is sitting on his lap. I grab my phone, snapping a few photos of them. Seeing him with her is worth coming all the way to Erinsborough. I regret not bringing her into their lives sooner.

“How do you do it?” Paige asks, snapping me from my thoughts. “How do you raise her on your own?”

I shrug. “I just do,” I reply. “The first few months were hard, having to manage living on basically savings & the paid maternity leave. But I make it work. I don't regret having her. She's amazing.”

“So are you.”

“You're going to be amazing too.”

“Not as amazing as he is,” She replies, placing a hand on Mark’s shoulder.

“You’ve gotta have more faith in yourself, Paige.”

“Exactly what I’ve been telling her,” Mark says.

He leans towards her, she meets him halfway for a kiss.

“Well, there's a perfect family picture,” I say.

Mark & Paige look confused.

“You two smooching, young daughter on his lap,” I add. “If I was someone else & didn't know better, I’d think Felicity is yours.”

“Soon enough, I’ll have my daughter on my lap.”

Tyler & I look shocked.

“You know you're having at least one girl?” Tyler asks.

“Not yet,” Paige replies. “Mark has convinced himself we’re having one.”

“It's a gut feeling,” he corrects her.

****

After lunch, Mark takes Felicity & I home- to ensure we get home safely, but also to check that our home is secure. He then waited for the two officers assigned to the first watch to arrive. Once he introduced me to them, he went back to work.

Piper came over after school to wait for Tyler. She’d dropped in to the garage, but he was swamped so suggested she wait here. Felicity loved the company. I even managed to do a bit of online job searching while Piper played with Felicity.

It's 4:45pm, & I can't shake this gut feeling something isn't right. Putting my iPad mini aside, I get off the couch & walk over to the front window. I peer out, finding the street empty. My gaze falls on the unmarked police car out the front, & my stomach flips at the sight. I can just make out the two officers inside- the officer in the passenger seat is slumped over, head on the dashboard. Not the ideal way for an on-duty officer to sit. My eyes snap to the driver's side, & my worst fears are confirmed. He's also slumped over, this time head tilted towards the window.

“Piper,” I say, trying to keep as calm as possible so not to worry Felicity.

“Yeah, Erin,” She replies.

“Pick up Felicity right now & head out the back,” I reply.

“What? Why?”

“Just do it!” I say, turning to her so she sees my worried look.

Her eyes widen as she looks at me. She picks Felicity up, keeping calm as she stands up. I cross to them.

“Take her through the side gate, & head for your place,” I say, ushering her towards the kitchen bound for the back door. “Call Mark. Tyler. Keep trying until you get them. I need them here ASAP.”

“What's going on?” Piper asks, turning to face me when she reaches the doorway into the laundry.

“My life is in danger right now & I need you to take my baby to safety,” I reply quickly. “I need Mark & the police.”

She looks terrified, but nods repeatedly. She turns around & takes a step towards the back door.

“Move one more step, & I’ll blow her head apart,” That all too familiar voice says from behind me.

Piper freezes.

_It's too late._

_He's here._

_Eddie._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will Erin, Piper and Felicity get out of this? Will they be able to raise the alarm, sending Mark to the rescue?


	28. Hostage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With their lives in danger, Erin has to keep Eddie calm until help can arrive.

“Tyler!” Mark calls out as I’m crossing the courtyard to _Harold’s_.  
I stop & wait for him to catch up.  
“What’s up, bro?” I ask as he steps up.  
“I just finished work & was headed to meet Paige after her shift when I saw you,” he replies. “I thought you said you had a lot of work to finish.”  
“I did. After our lunch,” I reply. “Which was what? Three, four hours ago? I didn’t say how much each car needed work on.”  
He nods. “You meeting Piper?”  
I nod. “Yeah, she’s waiting at home. Probably with Erin,” I reply. “I was going to get a cake or something. She was disappointed that I wasn’t able to go home with her.”  
He smiles. “You’re really falling for her.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?”  
“I’m just worried that… if things don’t work out, not that I’m saying they will, but…” He sighs. “You two have a similar age gap to Paige & myself. It caused a lot of issues for us. We made it work, but… I just don’t want you to go through the same thing. I have faith that it won’t, but I can’t help being protective of you.”  
I smile. “I get it. Thanks.”  
“You’re welcome.”  
****  
“Let them go,” I say, as Piper and I back towards the lounge. I keep my focus on Eddie, who is following us, gun raised at me. “You want me, right? Well, you have me. Just let Piper go. She & Felicity don’t need to be here.”  
“But they do,” Eddie replies. “Piper’s seen me. She knows I have you. And I know your big brother is a cop who is determined to catch my uncle.”  
“I promise I won’t say anything!” Piper says.  
“You’re _not_ going _anywhere_!” Eddie shouts, waving his gun at Piper’s head.  
She steps back, holding Felicity against her. I step in front of Piper, putting myself in the gun’s line of fire.  
****  
Mark returns to our table as he hangs up his phone call. He’s frowning.  
“The officers stationed outside our house have missed their last check-in,” he says to Paige & myself.  
“Maybe there’s nothing to report,” Paige says.  
“They have specific orders to check in regularly,” he replies. “Even if there’s nothing to report.”  
“Hey, don’t stress,” Paige replies, taking his hand.  
“I won’t stress when I finally have Dimato & all his men behind bars,” he replies. “I’m sick of them keeping me on edge, constantly worried about my family’s safety.”  
“Which is why you need to have a bit more faith in your colleagues.”  
“Paige is right, Mark,” I add.  
“You should be worried too, mate,” Mark replies. “If there is something wrong, then your girlfriend is caught up in it along with our sister & niece.”  
“Okay. Why don’t we just go home?” Paige says. “You can check on the officers, & you’ll see that everything is fine, & you can relax a bit, knowing that your family is still safe.”  
He nods, letting out a shaky sigh. Paige & I get up. I grab my take-away box of cupcakes as she grabs her purse. She links hands with Mark & we head out to our cars.  
****  
Mark pulls into our driveway, Tyler’s car pulling in behind us. Mark flicks off the engine & hops out. I quickly follow. Mark heads back down the driveway, past Tyler’s car as Tyler gets out. Mark stops as he reaches the bottom. His back is to me, but I can tell he’s tensed.  
I look at Tyler & we hurry over to him. He’s staring at the unmarked police car. We’d been so focused on our house, none of us had thought to look at the car, at the officers, as we drove past. I clasp my hands over my mouth to stifle a scream as I take in the sight of the two deceased officers.  
Mark turns towards the house, taking a few steps in that direction before I grab his arm & stop him.  
“Mark! Do this the right way,” I say. “Don’t go rushing in there, without back up.”  
“But-”  
“I know. I want to see them safe too,” I interrupt. “But you have to play this by the book. As much as I want them out of danger, I don’t want you to throw yourself into danger in order to save them! You’re angry & very protective, & I love that about you. But you just can’t rush in there. Not when you don’t have a vest or a weapon. So please just stay here with us, & call it in!”  
He exhales shakily, before running his hands over his face.  
“You’re right,” he replies.  
****  
Eddie peers out the front window, his gun pointed at us. I’m thinking of the best way to allow Piper to escape with Felicity, without him shooting at them. Eddie snarls.  
“Which one of you two called them?” Eddie says, looking at us.  
“Called who?” I ask.  
“Called your cop brother, baby brother & your cop brother’s misses.”  
“Eddie, calm down,” I reply, stepping in front of Piper to shield her. “All three of them live here. They were bound to come home, okay? Neither of us have called or texted. You’ve had your eyes on us the whole time.”  
“How dumb do you think I am?!”  
“You’re smart, Eddie. I know that,” I reply. “Just like you know I wouldn’t lie to you right now. Trust me.”  
“I why should I trust you when you packed up & left me?”  
“I did that to protect my little girl,” I reply. “You were losing control of yourself, & it just wasn’t safe for her to be there.”  
“So why come here?”  
“To my brothers? I think that’s obvious.”  
He growls, turning back to the window. He peers out at Mark, Tyler & Paige. I look over my shoulder at Piper.  
“Get your phone,” I whisper. “Call Tyler. I want them to be able to hear all of this. But keep it hidden.”  
She nods.  
****  
Mark’s on the phone, organising for more cops to come. Paige & I wait at the end of our driveway, both uneasy.  
“Piper’s in there,” I say, staring up at our home.  
“She’s smart,” Paige says. “Just like Erin is. They’ll be alright.”  
“I hope so.”  
“We’ll get them out,” she replies. “Whatever’s going on in there, we’ll get them out.”  
I nod. My mobile rings. I pull it out, seeing Piper’s ID. I frown & turn it so Paige can see. She frowns. I answer it, putting it up to my ear.  
“Hey Pipes,” I say into my phone.  
She doesn’t answer. Instead, I can hear some guy talking in the background.  
“Do you really think that I would let you come here, to your cop brother & not come after you?” he says. “You’re probably snitching on my uncle, aren’t you?”  
“No, I’m not,” Erin says. “Like I said, I came here because I felt like Felicity was in danger around you.”  
And it hits me who the man is- _Eddie_. I make eye contact with Paige,  & then point to Mark. She understands what I’m asking & nods. She walks over to him, & I watch her talk to him as I listen to Eddie.  
“Stop _lying_ to me, Erin!”  
“I’m _not_ , Eddie!”  
“Why else would you come here, without telling me?”  
“Maybe it’s because I was scared about what you would do if I stood in front of you & told you I was leaving,” Erin says. “You gave me a black eye. I know you didn’t mean to, but it happened. And I was scared that it would be worse. I’m sorry that I just left. That I didn’t leave a note. But you have to understand that I was just protecting my daughter. You know she means a lot to me.”  
Mark & Paige come over. I put a finger to my lips, to keep them silent, as I lower my mobile & put it on speaker.  
“Yeah, just like I thought I meant a lot to you,” Eddie says.  
“You do,” Erin says. “It’s just that I will always put my daughter’s safety first.”  
“Is that… Eddie?” Mark mouths.  
I nod. He clenches his jaw.  
“But not enough to deserve a goodbye.”  
Mark flicks his mobile over to its recorder, & starts recording as he puts it close to mine so it picks up the call clearly.  
“I don’t know how many times I have to say it, Eddie! I was scared!”  
“Or you’re _lying_ to cover up the fact that you’ve fled here to get your cop brother to help put my uncle  & I behind bars!” Eddie says. “I know that he’s after my uncle. I know that you overheard us discussing things you shouldn’t have heard. So stop lying to me, cause I know you’re here to tell him everything, so he can use it to arrest Uncle Dennis!”  
Mark hands me his mobile, & steps around Paige. He starts heading up the driveway. Paige quickly stops him.  
“I _have_ to get in there!” Mark hisses.  
“Just wait for the others!” She hisses back.  
Mark looks at our house, & I can see him fighting himself in his mind- to barge inside unprotected & alone, or to be good & wait. It’s the hardest inner battle. I’m barely keeping myself from running up those steps & inside, so I know what it’s like.  
“If they don’t get here soon,” Mark whispers. “I need to at least get a look inside. Find out what’s going on.”  
“Just wait a little longer,” Paige pleads.  
He nods, almost defeated. She wraps her arms around him, laying her head on his chest. His shoulders drop, & he wraps his arms around her. He rests his head on top of hers. I admire the way she can break through his walls like no other can.  
****  
The other officers finally arrive. The road is blocked off as I speak to Sarge about how to handle this. Tyler’s mobile has been linked up to police devices, recording the whole call, with officers listening to it at the same time so we know what’s going on.  
“You can try & stop me all you want, Sarge,” I say. “But there’s nothing you can say that will stop me from going in. With all due respect, Sarge, I can’t stand here while my family is at risk.”  
“Wouldn’t even dare try to keep you back,” he replies. “I can see how hard it is for you to have waited this long. I almost expected to have arrived to find you’d gone in by yourself.”  
I purse my lips together. “It’s been hard resisting doing that,” I reply. “But Paige reminded me of why I need to not rush in.”  
Sarge smiles. “Alright, here’s what I believe is the best scenario,” he says. “Two teams. One goes round the back, the other through the front. Breach at the same time. Locate your family & the suspect. Protect the hostages & take down the suspect. Hopefully he’ll still be alive at the end.”  
I nod. “Sounds like a good plan.”  
“You want to lead the front team?”  
“Do you have to ask?”  
“I’ll be leading the other,” he says. “So I’ll be in charge once we get in there.”  
I nod. “I understand. You don’t want me in charge cause of how personal it is.”  
He nods. “I want this to go as smoothly & cleanly as possible.”  
“Yes, Sarge.”  
We cross to where the officers of our teams are standing, ready to go. I adjust my vest, & pull my gun out of its holster.  
“Team A, you’re with Brennan,” Sarge says. “Team B, you’re going round the back with me.”  
The other officers nod. Three of the officers follow Sarge up the driveway. I lead the other three, bound for the front door. Tyler hurries up & falls into step with me.  
“Let me come with you,” he says.  
“It's too dangerous,” I reply, as we continue up the driveway.  
“You do remember who is in there, right?” He asks. “It's been killing me too not to be in there. I want to be in there. To comfort Piper.”  
I spin around on the steps up from the driveway, blocking his way.  
“There's too many people from our family caught up in this as is,” I reply. “There's _no way_ I’m adding you to the list.”  
“Try & stop me.”  
“I’ll handcuff you to the railing if I have to.”  
Tyler opens his mouth to reply, but is cut off by _BANG!_  
Everyone jumps at the gunshot, the officers & I instinctively aiming our guns at my home. A chill runs down my spine. And then the worst happens.  
 _BANG! BANG!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who won't make it out alive?


	29. Bloodstream

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who hasn't made it out alive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Think last chapter was intense? This one's a million times more intense. For some of it, anyway...

 

Mark & the officers are distracted. Tense due to the gunshots. I, on the other hand, have only one instinct- to get inside & find out if my girlfriend, niece & sister are all okay.

Mark’s turned sideways to face our house, exposing part of the stairs. I slip behind him, turning to the main set of stairs as he notices.

“TYLER!” He says, as I climb the stairs.

I hear him follow me.

“ALL OFFICERS STAY WHERE YOU ARE!!!” He barks into his radio, as I pull open the security door. “My brother's broken the main line.”

I burst inside, pausing to scan the area. Mark stops behind me, his gun raised. But the area is empty.

“PIPER!” I shout.

Nothing.

I take a step forward. “PIPER!”

“Ty-Tyler?” Piper replies, scared & from the lounge.

I rush over, finding her hunched over on the floor between the couch & the coffee table. I kneel down, & realise she's protecting Felicity- using the couch & her body to shield my young niece.

“Hey, it's okay,” I say, reaching out to her.

She looks up & relief spreads over her face.

“Oh my god! Am I glad to see you!” She replies. “I thought I was hearing things!”

I smile reassuringly at her. “Are you okay?” I ask. I look at Felicity. “Is Felicity okay?”

Piper nods. “Yeah, we’re both fine. I’ve been holding her the whole time.”

“Where's Erin?” Mark says.

I look at him- he’s come closer, standing beside our couch. He’s facing away, gun raised, as he looks over his shoulder at us.

“Uh… Eddie… He… He found out about my mobile,” Piper says. “He got angry. That's what caused the first gun shot.”

“Pipes,” I say, placing my hands on her cheeks. “Focus on where they went, okay? The rest you can tell Mark… Or another officer later.”

She nods. “They were heading for the kitchen last I saw.”

I look at Mark. He grabs his radio. “Sarge, the suspect & Erin are still missing,” he says into it. “Any signs of them in the backyard? They were last seen heading there.”

There's a pause.

“Negative, Constable,” Sarge replies. “No trace.”

“Okay, thanks.”

“Want us to assist in locating them?”

“Stay posted outside,” Mark says. “Maintaining the perimeter will help.” He suddenly realises how that came across. “Not that I’m trying to boss you around, Sarge. Just saying I have a handle on the situation in here… For now.”

“I knew what you meant, Constable,” Sarge replies. “Please keep me updated.”

“Yes, sir,” Mark replies. The radio goes silent. “Stay here. If you see Eddie, lay low & keep them safe. Do _not_ move from them, do you understand?”

I nod.

****

I watch him shift closer to Piper & wrap his arm around her. She rests her head on his shoulder & sighs. Tyler places a hand on Felicity to comfort her, as she's starting to cry.

I slowly head for the kitchen, gun raised & fully aware of my surroundings. As I approach the kitchen bench, I can see into the laundry, & I pause. There's a pool of blood.

I lower my gun, reeling from the sight. I holster my gun, mentally preparing myself to approach the laundry. _I need to know if it's her. I need to be the one to learn that first._

I walk around the bench, trying to calm my pounding heart. I turn the corner of the side wall, & let out a huge sigh when I see her. She's sitting next to the rubbish bin, head resting on the door frame into the laundry, legs tucked up to her chest, arms tightly round them. I can see blood stains on her shirt, but the fact that she's staring into the laundry has me convinced the pool of blood isn't hers.

I grab my radio. “Sarge, I found her.”

“Oh, thank god!” Tyler says.

“Good to hear,” Sarge replies. “Is she okay?”

“Not sure,” I reply. “But she's breathing. That's good enough for me right now.”

“And the suspect?”

“Haven't found him yet, but… I have a hunch he’s not a threat any more.”

“Understood. Keep me posted.”

“Yes, sir.”

I cross to her, kneeling down & placing a hand on her back. She jumps, goes to strike me but recognises me & relaxes.

“Mark!” She says.

“Hey. Are you okay?” I ask. “Are you hurt?”

She stares at the wall in front of her, to my left, as she thinks. “Uh… No,” She says. “I… I don't think so.”

I sigh, relieved. “And Eddie?”

She leans into me, struggling to keep back her tears. She turns her head into my vest, turning her head away from the laundry. I wrap my arms around her, kissing her head.

“It's okay, it's okay,” I whisper. “You're okay. You're okay.”

She cries against me for a while.

“Mark?” Tyler asks.

“Just stay in the lounge, please, Tyler!” I reply. “Erin's unharmed.”

“Good to hear.”

I turn my attention back to Erin, but the pool of blood catches my eye.

“Erin,” I say softly. “I just need to move away for a minute, okay? I need to go look in the laundry. I need to confirm where Eddie is, okay?”

She lets out a shaky breath, before nodding. She sits up. I leave my hand on her back as I rise to my feet, leaving it there until I can't any more. I carefully step into the laundry, avoiding the blood. I step to the right of the door, towards the back door & turn around so the back door is behind me. Across the other side of the narrow room, slumped against the wall to my left, lies Eddie's lifeless body. His gun lies on the floor just out of his reach, its barrel pointing at him.

I run a hand over my mouth & sigh. I take a moment to compose myself before grabbing my radio.

“Suspect is dead,” I say into it. “I repeat, suspect is dead. In the laundry. All civilians are safe & unharmed.”

“Copy that, Constable,” Sarge says. “I’ll get the necessary teams in.”

“Thanks, Sarge,” I reply. “Can we also get a couple of paramedics in here? I just want to make sure that Erin is okay. She was with him. I’m not sure on the details, but she's in shock & covered in blood.”

“I’ll call them in.”

“Thanks Sarge.”

I carefully head back into the kitchen. Erin's still sitting where I left her. I bend over, take hold of her hands & pull her to her feet. I turn her away from the laundry, wrap an arm around her shoulder & lead her slowly over to the lounge. Tyler, Piper & Felicity stand as we make our way over. They sit down on one end of the couch, & I guide Erin to this end. She sits down, arms tightly wrapped around herself.

Felicity squirms, hand reaching for Erin.

“Erin, she wants you,” Piper says.

Erin takes a long moment to react. She looks at Piper & Felicity. She shakes her head. Piper, shocked, turns her gaze to me for help.

I kneel so I’m on the same level as Erin. She stares straight ahead, at the opposite wall.

“I know that you're in shock, Erin,” I say. “But your daughter needs you. Just like you need her.”

She shakes her head, still not making eye contact with me.

“Erin, look at me.”

She takes a minute, but she slowly looks at me. I smile at her.

“Why won't you hold Felicity?”

She uncrosses her arms & pulls at her shirt. I look down at it, & it hits me why she's refusing.

“It's okay, Erin. I understand now.”

“What?” Piper says. “Her daughter wants her to hold her, & you're siding with her?”

I look at Piper. “She's refusing because she doesn't want Felicity near her when she's covered in blood.”

Piper looks shocked. “Oh.”

"Just look after her until the paramedics have checked Erin,” I reply. “Then I’ll get something clean for Erin to wear.”

Piper nods.

****

Soon our house is a hive of activity. The kitchen is sectioned off from the rest by crime scene tape, as the crime scene team get to work documenting Eddie's body, the gun & the laundry. Paramedics examine & clear Piper & Felicity, before both focus on Erin. But their efforts are hampered by Erin's refusal to talk.

Aaron & Paige come in. Paige throws her arms around me. After our hug, I wave Aaron, Tyler & Piper over. They come, Piper still holding Felicity.

“They're going to be at this for a while, so our kitchen will be out of use for most of the night,” I say. “So I think it will be best if we spend the night at _Lassiters_.”

“I can call Mum, see if she can reserve rooms,” Piper says. “I’m sure she’ll offer a discount.”

I nod. “That would be good,” I reply. “In the meantime, can you all go through & pack. Take clothes for a few days, in case we have stay there longer. And can someone please pack for Erin & Felicity? I’d help, but I need to be out here.”

“We’ll all handle that,” Aaron replies.

“Thanks.”

They all head off to the bedrooms.

“Excuse me,” The female paramedic says to me. “Are you her spouse?”

“Older brother,” I reply.

“Sorry,” she replies. “We just need to confirm the source of the blood on her shirt. She's refusing to talk. I was wondering if you’d help us out?”

I nod. I step over to Erin, sitting down next to her right side & placing my left hand on her back.

"Erin, you have to let them help," I tell her. "They just want to make sure you're not hurt, & then we’ll get you changed into clean clothes & you can cuddle Felicity.”

“I’m fine,” Erin says.

“You're in shock,” the female paramedic says. “That may be masking the pain from any injuries. Which is why we’d like to check.”

“Erin, look at me,” I say.

She slowly turns to look at me.

“I’m going to be here the whole time,” I tell her. “I want you to let them do their job, okay?”

She stares at me for a minute, & then nods.

****

“Hey,” Tyler says.

I turn to see him standing in the doorway of Erin's bedroom, where I’m packing her things as I hold Felicity in one arm.

“Hey,” I reply. “You’ve finished already?”

“Doesn't need much,” he replies, walking over to me. “And I’m not the one trying to do it with a kid in one arm. Let me help.”

He takes a shirt off the bed, folds it & places it in the open suitcase.

"Mum's organised for a couple of the bigger, two bedroom suites for us,” I tell him as he continues to pack. “And she's insisting that you stay there _for free_.”

“Wow,” he says, surprised. “That's super generous.”

“Yep, but she thinks your family has been through enough, so she's spoiling you all with this.”

“That's very kind of her.”

“Mmmhmmm.”

“So… Have you considered who sleeps where yet?”

I raise my eyebrow. “I didn't know I had the power to.”

“You're a part of this too, Pipes,” he says, looking at me. “You were in here today, facing Eddie. You protected my niece. I want you to come stay the night with me.”

"Awwww!"

He leans in, pressing his lips against mine.

“I don't think I’ll be able to sleep if you’re not there,” he whispers, lips brushing mine.

“Shouldn't I be saying that?” I whisper back.

“I’m allowed to too,” he says, pulling back.

“Okay, so you & me in one bedroom,” I say, as he keeps packing a mix of Erin & Felicity's clothes. “And Aaron can take the other bedroom in our suite. Cause obviously Paige will be in with Mark, & I have a feeling that Mark will want Erin close by. He seems to be the only one she's reacting to.”

He nods. “I agree.”

“Mum will meet us at reception, though I think she’ll meet us outside. We’re probably gonna have to drop into the station to give formal statements.”

“Yeah.”

Felicity cries. I pace the room, bouncing her in an attempt to calm her down.

“It's okay, Felicity,” I say as I pace. “I know. You want your mum. You can have her soon. I promise.”

Mark appears in the doorway.

“Look, Felicity! Mark!” I say, pointing to him.

He smiles & waves at her. “Are you almost done packing?”

“Uh… Yeah, why?” Tyler asks.

“The paramedics have just cleared Erin. She's not injured, just covered in Eddie's blood. So I’d like to let her in here so she can change.”

Tyler grabs the last few things off the bed, puts them in the suitcase & closes it. He zips it shut.

“We’ll take the bags out to the lounge,” he says, picking up the suitcase.

I grab Felicity's nappy bag, putting the strap on my shoulder.

“Thanks you two,” Mark says as we head out.

“No worries,” Tyler replies, pausing for a few seconds to grab his bag from the hallway floor.

It's not until Tyler passes her that I realise Erin’s standing with her back against the wall to the left of her bedroom. Felicity spots her, & cries out, her short arms reaching for her mum. Erin forces a smile, fighting back tears. She then quickly slips between Mark & myself into her room.

“ _Mummmmmyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!_ ” Felicity cries.

I look at Mark, desperate for a solution. He reaches out, touching her small hands with a finger from both his hands.

“It's okay, Felicity,” he coos. “Mummy just needs a little bit longer & then she’ll be with you.”

He kisses her forehead, before looking at me & tilting his head towards the lounge. Understanding that he wants me to go, I nod & head down the hallway. Felicity screams, looking over my shoulder at Mark.

“It's okay, Felicity,” I say, rubbing her back.

****

“Am I bad mother?” I ask, rubbing a baby wipe to get the blood off the back of my trembling hand.

“No,” Mark replies. “Why?”

“Because through all of this, I’ve kept my distance from my baby,” I reply, scrubbing at the blood. “The whole time, she was in Piper’s arms. And now that it's over… I should be comforting her. But I’m refusing to!” I look at him, barely keeping back my tears. “I’m running away from her, treating her like I’m _abandoning_ her!”

He walks over, steps behind me, places his hands on my shoulders & turns me to the free-standing full-body mirror.

"Look at yourself,” Mark says. “You're covered in blood. You don't want her getting that on her. So as much as you feel horrible for not giving her comfort, it doesn't mean you're a bad mother. It means you're doing what's best for her. And that makes you the best mother.”

I stare at myself in the mirror, & sigh. “You're right,” I reply, nodding.

He smiles, before kissing my head.

“Now, I’m going to go over there & wait with my back to you while you change,” he says. “I know it's weird to have me in here, but we need to bag the clothes.”

“I know,” I reply. “I feel the most comfortable if you're here rather than one of the other officers that I don't know.”

He smiles. “You're starting to get back to normal.”

I smile. “Gee, thanks.”

“It's good,” he replies. “Seeing you so out of it was heartbreaking.”

“I’m glad you were there.”

“I told you I would have your back.”

“You did.”

“I’ll be over there,” he says, before crossing to stand near my door.

“Mark?”

He looks over his shoulder at me.

“Thank you.”

He smiles.

****

Mark leads me back out to the lounge, his Sargent intercepting us as we get into that part of the house.

“We’ll need you to come to the station for your statements,” the Sargent says.

Mark nods. “I know. We were just going there now, Sarge.”

“Good,” Sarge replies. “Is that her clothes?”

“Yes, bagged and ready to examine.”

“Good,” he replies. “I’ll meet you all at the station.”

Mark nods. Sarge looks at me & nods. I nod back. We stay there, watching as he exits through the front door. Mark places the bag of my clothes on the kitchen bench, next to a bunch of other evidence bags, as Aaron, Paige, Tyler & Piper carrying Felicity walk over from the lounge.

“Mummmy!” Felicity says, reaching both her chubby arms out.

I fight back tears as I step forward to meet Piper, taking Felicity from her & holding her tight against me. “I’m so sorry, baby,” I whisper.

"Uh, Mum says they’ve moved a cot into one of the bedrooms for you,” Piper says.

I nod.

“Shouldn't we wait for the police teams to finish?” Tyler asks.

“I gave them the spare keys earlier,” Mark replies. “They’ll lock up when they're done.”

Tyler nods. “I guess we should go, then.”

We gather our bags- Mark hands me Felicity's nappy bag & takes my suitcase.

“You have enough to carry,” he says.

I smile, before following the others over to the front door. We file out, the boys taking up the back, & we head down & onto the street. Tyler moved his & Mark’s cars so the mortuary van could pull in. I stop mid-step when I realise that they're loading Eddie's body into the van. It may be in a body bag, but the sight still sends chills down my spine.

Mark's hand on my shoulder draws me from my thoughts.

“You okay?” He asks, concerned.

I haven't told him what happened. None of them know.

I nod. “Yeah, just… Still a bit shocked.”

He nods. We walk side by side the rest of the way, rejoining the others at Tyler & Mark’s cars, which are parked across the street outside Lauren’s. Aaron & Tyler are putting the bags into the back of Mark’s car, which has a bigger boot so everyone's can fit in it.

“So who wants to go in which car?” Aaron asks, as they continue loading the bags.

“How about the same grouping as the hotel rooms?” Tyler replies.

We all look confused.

“Nice one, Gurtie,” Piper says. “I hadn't talked about that to the others yet.”

“Well, now’s the time,” Paige replies.

“Terese has organised two of the bigger, two bedroom suites for us at _Lassiters_ ,” Tyler says. “Pipes & I were just thinking of how to split our group over the rooms. We thought Aaron, Pipes & I would take one… And you, Mark, Erin & Felicity would take the other.”

“Sounds good,” Mark replies. “Any objections?”

We’re all quiet.

“Good, then it's sorted,” Mark says. “Tyler, Aaron & Piper in Tyler's car. And my three favourite women with me.”

“Technically two favourite woman & favourite girl,” I reply.

He smiles. "True."

“I should start putting Felicity in,” I say.

I walk over to the back door of Mark's 4WD, open the door, toss the nappy bag onto the floor & climb in. I settle Felicity in her car seat, securing her in just as Tyler closes the boot door slowly so it doesn't slam. When I’m done, I stick my head out to see the others. We split up to our cars, Paige & Mark get in as I do my belt up. As we pull off, I rest my head on the head rest & sigh. This long day isn't over yet.

****

We park in the underground carpark at _Lassiters_. Mark suggests we at least go up  & find out which order they want us to go in to give our statements before unloading our bags. We head to the lift, the only bags beyond our handbags is Felicity's nappy bag, which I have over one shoulder.

Terese, Brad & Lauren are waiting for us in reception. Terese hugs- practically squishes- Piper.

“Your rooms are all set up,” Terese says. “I have key cards for each of you. Everything is on the house- the rooms, room service… Anything.”

“That's too much,” Mark says.

“It's the least I can do,” Terese replies. “You’ve all been through so much the last six months.”

“Thank you, Terese,” I reply.

“You're welcome.”

“We should head to the station,” Mark says.

“I’m not needed there,” Aaron says. “So why don't I start taking our bags up to our rooms?”

“Brad & I will help,” Lauren adds.

Mark nods. “Sure.”

“Would you like me to…” Lauren says, pointing to Felicity.

“Uh… No, I’ll take her with me,” I reply. “She's been away from me enough for today. I think it’ll be best for her to stay with me. I don't know how long it’ll take for us to do this.”

Lauren nods. “I understand.”

“Thank you for offering,” I reply. “It's very thoughtful.”

She smiles. “You're welcome.”

We say bye, & follow Mark & Tyler out. Mark holds the police station door open for us. His Sargent is waiting at reception. He & Mark nod at each other.

"I think we'll start with Miss Willis," Sarge says. "And then Mrs Brennan, followed by Mr Brennan. Which leaves Miss Brennan until the end. I understand that you're the most traumatised, so I’d rather leave you until the end.”

I nod. “Fine by me.”

He nods. “Wait over there while Miss Willis comes with me into Interview Room One,” He says. “I’ll come out when we’re ready for the next person.” He looks at Mark. “You’ll need to write up a report. But given the circumstances this evening, it can wait until tomorrow. As long as you have notes.”

“I do,” Mark replies.

“Good. You can sit with your family,” Sarge says, before turning to Piper. “Miss Willis, please follow me.”

We watch as Piper follows him through to the interview room. He holds the door open, waiting for her to walk inside, before he shuts it behind him.

Tyler, Paige, myself & Mark walk over to the waiting area. We sit down in a row- Paige, Felicity & I in the middle, our handbags & nappy bag on the floor.

Mark waits with us until Paige goes in to give her statement half an hour later. Mark decides he should put his vest & gun away.

It doesn't take as long for them to take Paige's statement. She didn't see as much as Piper, Tyler or myself. Tyler's called in next.

“You can head up to our rooms,” I tell Paige & Piper. “You don't have to stay.”

“I’m not moving until Tyler's back out,” Piper says.

“We’re in this together,” Paige adds.

It takes close to 40 minutes for them to finish taking Tyler's statement. Mark explained they probably will have treated it more like an interrogation, given how he snuck past the police to enter first. Felicity's asleep on my chest by the time he comes out.

Tyler returns, looking sheepish & with his hands deep in his jeans’ pockets. Sarge is close behind him.

“In short, Mr Brennan won't be charged for recklessly running in,” Sarge says. “His actions were highly dangerous, not to just himself. However, given the rest of the situation, we’re willing to let him go with just a warning.”

"That's good,” I reply as I stand up.

I pass Felicity to Tyler. He looks surprised as he supports her against his chest.

“You sure you want me to have her?” He asks.

I nod. “I trust you, Tyler.”

“What about Mark? Piper?”

“Piper has done enough today. I need Mark for a few minutes… At least.”

Tyler’s still a little unsure, but he sits down where I was. I look at Mark, tilting my head towards the reception desk. He follows me & Sarge over to it.

“I want Mark to sit in,” I say to Sarge.

Both of them look surprised.

“I know it's breaking the rules, but I’ve been through hell & back tonight,” I continue. “The only thing that's kept me grounded since it happened has been Mark. Having him in there… That's the _only_ way I can see myself doing this tonight.”

Sarge & Mark exchange looks.

“Very well,” Sarge replies. “But he's there strictly for support. No asking questions.”

Mark nods.

“Good. Follow me.”

Sarge heads for the interview room. Mark ushers me in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What happened between Eddie & Erin? Which one fired the deadly shots?


	30. Accusations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened between Eddie & Erin? Who is to blame for his death? The search for answers begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but big stuff happening.

“He got very angry when he found out Piper’s mobile was mid-call,” I tell the Sergeant. “He was… He was going to shoot Piper. He had his gun aimed at her head. So… So I kicked him.”

“Kicked him?” Sarge asks. “Where?”

“High roundhouse kick that hit his arm, knocking his arm sideways just as he pulled the trigger,” I reply.

Sarge frowns. “How does a woman of your stature roundhouse kick a man of Mr Dimato’s size in the arm when it's extended out holding a gun?”

“I’m not that much shorter than Edward,” I reply. “Not as much as you’re making it sound. I have a high roundhouse kick.”

“She's always been flexible,” Mark adds. “She won a lot of ribbons in gymnastics throughout her childhood & teens.”

“And I’m skilled in taekwondo,” I add.

“What happened after the first shot?” Sarge asks.

“He focused on me… I was his biggest threat,” I reply. “Piper, still holding my daughter, went & hid in the lounge. He grabbed me, forced me into the laundry. I think maybe he wanted to rape me.”

I catch Mark’s reaction in the corner of my eye. He looks shocked, then saddened & angered.

“But you fought back?”

I nod. “We struggled. I was trying to at least knock his gun away,” I reply. “It ended up between us, both pressed against it so neither of us knew where it was pointed. It went off twice. We stood there, both staring at each other… It felt like forever. Neither of us knew who was shot.” I look at my hands. “It may have felt like forever, but it was probably only thirty seconds, maybe a minute… Then he stumbled back, fell to the ground.”

"Did you check to see if he was alive?"

“He was bleeding out,” I reply. “Enough that he was probably dead by the time he slumped over. He shot himself twice in the abdomen. I don't see what you think I could have done to save the man!”

“Did he shoot himself?”

“ _What?!_ ”

“Did he shoot himself?”

“Of course he did.”

“Do you know for sure?” Sarge asks, leaning forward. “You say the two of you were struggling to gain control of the gun. That neither of you seem to know who was shot. The intensity of the moment may have your memory off.”

“Oh, so accusing me of murder is an appropriate reaction to that?”

"You tell me."

Shocked, I turn to Mark. I can see the shock & confusion in his eyes, but the rest of his face is emotionless. Struggling to stop myself from crying, I look at Sarge.

“I _didn’t_ shoot him,” I reply. “I just wanted to remove the gun. To buy time so you could come in  & stop him. I would _never_ kill him!”

“Not intentionally,” Sarge replies. “But in the heat of the moment…”

“I wouldn’t!”

“You were both struggling to have control of the gun. You said neither one knew who was shot.”

“I _didn’t_ touch the trigger! I had my hand on the handle.”

“You may not remember touching it,” Sarge replies. “You were in shock when you were found. Such a traumatic event would be erased from your memory to cope with it.”

“Sarge, she didn’t do it.”

Sarge raises his eyebrow. “Do you know that for a fact, Constable?”

“I know my sister,” he replies. “And she’s not a murderer.”

“We all have the killer instinct.”

“The _only_ one with the killer instinct tonight was Edward Dimato.”

“The evidence will provide the truth.”

“So let’s wait until you have the evidence before throwing accusations around,” Mark says.

Sarge & Mark stare at each other.

“Alright,” Sarge says, breaking the silence. “We’re all tired. We’ll end things here, for now. I want you back here tomorrow, for further questioning.”

“Sarge-”

“She’s the only witness who saw Mr Dimato’s final moments,” Sarge replies. “Which makes her very important to the investigation.”

“In other terms, the only suspect,” Mark replies. “Which is absurd, given it’s clear he accidentally killed himself. The evidence will support that.”

****

Erin & I walk out into reception. She’s barely keeping herself together, arms crossed, bottom lip trembling as she barely holds back tears. I place my hand on her back. Aaron, Tyler, Paige & Piper look shocked as they see us. They all stand up. Aaron’s about to talk when-

“One more thing, Miss Brennan,” Sarge says from behind us.

Erin & I turn around to face him, Erin shifting a step closer to me.

“I need you to hand over your passport,” Sarge says as he steps over to us.

Erin gapes. She looks at me for the answer.

“That’s extreme,” I say to Sarge.

“Merely following protocol, Constable.”

“And exactly why are you following those protocols? She’s not a flight risk.”

“It’s just a precaution.”

I look at her- she’s struggling not to fall apart right now. I look at Sarge.

“Can I talk to my sister for a minute?”

Sarge thinks it over. “As long as you remain within the station.”

I guide Erin over to the other side of the waiting area, holding my hand up when Aaron & Tyler start to follow.

“What will he do if I refuse?” She asks.

I sigh. “Given how hard he’s been with you tonight… I’d say he’ll put you in the holding cell overnight.”

She gapes, tears falling down her cheeks. I pull her in, wrapping my arms around her. She holds onto the back of my shirt tight, her head resting against my chest.

“I wish I could say something to convince him to back off,” I say.

“Your support is enough for now,” she replies.

“Constable,” Sarge says.

Erin pulls back, looking up at me. “Let’s just give him what he wants.”

“You sure?”

She nods. “Maybe if I do as they ask, it will help prove to him that I’m innocent,” she replies. “Besides, I want to get out of here.”

I nod. I kiss her forehead. We return to the others, my arm around her. Erin opens her handbag, pulls out her passport & hands it to Sarge.

“Thank you,” Sarge says, taking it. “I want you back here before noon tomorrow, for further questioning.”

“How about tomorrow afternoon?” I ask. “It’s been a long day, & Erin deserves to have a good rest.”

Sarge nods. “Very well,” he replies. “But if you fail to arrive by five thirty, I will send officers to arrest you.”

Erin trembles. I pull her closer to me. Sarge walks away. Aaron, Tyler, Paige & Piper look at Erin & myself.

“What was that about?” Tyler asks.

“I’ll explain when we get upstairs,” I reply. “Let’s get out of here.”

****

“Is he crazy?” Tyler asks.

We’re sitting in the lounge of Paige, Mark & my suite. Mark’s just filled them all in on what went on in the interview room. When we got in, we ordered room service. Mark explained everything while we wait.

“It’s a huge jump, given there’s no evidence to support it,” Mark replies. “He’s made it purely on the statements alone.”

“He shouldn’t be throwing such accusations around,” Tyler replies.

“She was the last person to see him alive.

“Why are you siding with him?”

“I’m not, Tyler! I just want you to see why he’s going after her.”

“Can we please stop talking about it?” I ask. “I’m sick of talking about it. Sick of hearing about it.”

“Sorry, sis,” Tyler says.

I force a smile. “I do appreciate the support.”

Dinner arrives shortly after, & I sit in silence while the others talk as we eat. Once Felicity has finished her dinner, everyone says goodnight to her & I take her to our room so she can sleep.

I sit beside her cot, gently rocking it so she falls asleep. I can’t believe the sergeant thinks I killed Eddie! I can’t believe that I’ve gone from fighting for her & my lives to fighting to keep me with her all in one day. If they push these accusations, they could arrest me for something I didn’t do, & I would be ripped away from my little girl. It’s hard enough as is, for her to grow up without her father. But to grow up without me? _No!_

The door slowly opens & Mark slips in, shutting it behind him. As he walks over, I wipe away tears I’ve only just realised are running down my cheeks. He sits down on the edge of my bed next to me.

“How are you?” He asks.

“Feeling like my whole world is crumbling around me.”

“The evidence will support us,” he replies. “They’ll find his & only his fingerprints on the trigger. They’ll look at the other evidence & they’ll see that you’re innocent.”

“And what if they don’t? What if Sarge keeps pushing that I did it?’

“I’m not going to let him.”

“He’s your boss.”

“And I will put everything on the line to protect you, Erin,” he says, before wrapping an arm around me. “I’m not going to let him arrest you for something you didn’t & _never_ will do.”

“But if we can’t… I want you to be Felicity’s guardian.”

“Erin-”

“Just hear me out, Mark,” I reply. “I want her to be with you. If I end up in jail, I want you to be there for her. You’re everything she needs in a role model, & I know she’ll be safe with you. I know that’s harsh on Tyler & Aaron, but… they’ll be there for her too. It’s just you’re…” I sigh. “You’re the one that would make the right choices, the better parent. She loves you, Mark. And I know you love her. That’s why I choose you to be her guardian. Even if it’s not because I’m in jail after this. If _anything_ happens to me, I want you to be her guardian.”

“And I’ll look after her,” he replies. “But you’re not going to jail.”

“I hope not. I just… I just want to be prepared. Just in case.”

He nods. “I’m going to call Toadie in the morning. See if we can meet up with him, & get legal advice on how to proceed with our fight to clear your name.”

I nod. Felicity’s asleep now, but I keep rocking her. After a few minutes of silence, Mark speaks.

“Looks like she’s down for the night,” he says. “Come out & we’ll pick a movie.”

A part of me wants to stay & watch her sleep peacefully. After all, this may be the last time I see her sleep.

“Come on,” Mark whispers, taking my hand.

He stands up & pulls me to my feet. I reluctantly let go of the cot & follow him, still holding his hand, over to the door. He opens it & steps out. I turn, looking at her one last time, before stepping out & softly shutting the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin’s now facing the fight to prove her innocence. Will she be able to convince the sergeant of the truth? Or will she be taken from Felicity?


	31. I Won't Give Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's barely keeping herself together as she faces possible charges. Can Mark and Toadie help her before it's too late?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Keen to read what people think of this chapter.

Mark & Toadie discuss the case, but it's nothing but muffled noise for me. I keep reliving Eddie’s final moments over & over, trying to remember every little detail I can. But more importantly, where my hands were the seconds the gun went off. _Did I pull the trigger & I just don't remember?_

“Is there really a point?” I ask, drawing their attention for the first time since we started talking. “How much can we do without the results?”

“We can prepare for all outcomes,” Toadie replies.

“They want her to go back in, for further questioning,” Mark says.

“Today?”

Mark nods. “I want your opinion on whether you should be there.”

“I can be there if you want me to.”

“Yes.”

“No,” I reply, at the same time.

Mark & Toadie look shocked.

“Showing up with a lawyer will look like I’m trying to avoid being arrested,” I explain. “Like I’m guilty & I’m trying to get out of being convicted.”

“But it will also mean that you're unprotected,” Mark says. “Sarge will push you. He’ll expose your weaknesses, wear you down until you break & agree to it all. Having Toadie there will stop that.”

I look at Toadie. “It's my call, right? I decide whether you're there.”

He glances at Mark. “Ultimately… Yes,” he tells me. “But, given how aggressive the sergeant was with you last night… I strongly recommend you allow me to come with you.”

****

I watch from the side of the room as Sarge interrogates Erin. She's sitting with her arms crossed, unhappy with the fact I pushed her into having Toadie present. I hate that she's suddenly trying so hard to not help herself.

“Our lab examined your clothes, analysing the evidence found,” Sarge says. “The results confirm quite a substantial amount of gunshot residue on your shirt, & trace amounts on your upper jeans.”

“That also supports my client's story,” Toadie replies. “She was standing right in front of Mr Dimato. Any GSR on her clothes would have been transferred by her location. GSR can travel three to five feet from the gun. My client could have been standing anywhere in the laundry, even in either doorway, & would have GSR to some degree on her.”

I smirk, happy that Toadie was prepared.

“Maybe your client instinctively positioned herself that close to him to provide doubt over her actions to escape being prosecuted.”

Toadie’s eyes narrow. “Do you have any proof that my client is responsible for Mr Dimato's death?” He asks. “Because so far, you’ve presented nothing that definitively points to my client.”

Sarge looks at Toadie for a minute.

“We’re still waiting for the results from our lab for the scans performed to identify the fingerprints on the gun,” Sarge replies. “They were meant to be completed by now, however our lab is currently backlogged. We expect that they will show Miss Brennan was in control of the gun when it was fired.”

“Neither of us know what the results are,” Toadie replies. “And until we do have the results, which I request I receive a copy of, my client should not be harassed on such poor evidence. You're basing the entire case against my client on here-say & theories that are unsupported by hard evidence. For all we know, Mr Dimato's death was accidental.”

“I want to find out the truth as much as you do,” Sarge replies.

“So why don't you focus on establishing a firm prosecution instead of harassing Miss Brennan?” Toadie replies. “I will be recommending that, until you do have proper evidence to support your wild accusations, my client will not be coming in for any more talks. All further communications between you & my client must pass via myself, to ensure my client is treated fairly during the course of this investigation.”

“Has your client got something to hide, Mr Rebecchi?”

“My client is innocent,” Toadie replies. “However, your treatment of her in both this & last night's interrogation has been nothing but hostile. You clearly have a hidden agenda against my client, & I merely want to see she is treated fairly & unbiased by the Erinsborough police.” He gathers up his notes. “Now, I’d like to call this over. It is clear you have no further information to pursue this further right now, & I’m not allowing my client to say another word until you can provide a more substantial case against her.”

Toadie stands & Erin follows suit. Sarge sighs.

“Very well,” Sarge replies. “You will be notified when the results of our other tests are available.”

Toadie nods. “You have my contact details,” he says. “Please use them, & only them. My client isn't to be contacted directly.”

“Understood, Mr Rebecchi,” Sarge replies. “But your client should be advised that eventually the truth will come out. And lying to cover it up will only cause her more harm than if she is honest with us.”

Toadie ushers Erin towards the door & out of the interview room before she can reply. Sarge & I look at each other before I walk out.

I hurry to catch up with Toadie & Erin, joining them outside in the Lassiters complex courtyard.

“How do you think that went?” I ask.

Toadie sighs. “It's clear that he has some personal reason behind this,” he replies.

I frown. “What would Sarge possibly have against my sister?” I ask. “He barely knows her.”

“I don't know,” he replies. “All I do know is, whatever he’s thinking, it's clouding his judgement. He's ignoring the evidence, not allowing it to guide him unless it supports his personal opinion.”

“Right, so I’m screwed,” Erin says.

“Don't give up, Erin,” I reply.

“I’m just stating the truth!” She replies. “Unless he can objectively continue this investigation, I’m going to be arrested for something I _didn't_ do!”

"We'll clear your name.”

“And what if we can't?”

I open my mouth to reply, but she shakes her head & walks off into the hotel. I sigh, rubbing my hands over my face.

****

I’m mixing cupcake mixture when the door into the _Harold's_ kitchen opens. I look over- Mark’s peering in. I smile  & he comes in. He crosses to me, giving me a quick kiss. And I see how concerned he is.

“Everything okay?” I ask. “How’s it going with Erin?”

He heavily sighs, leaning his back on the bench. “Sarge is still convinced she murdered Eddie, despite the evidence so far backing our side. Examination of her clothes show it was his blood on them, which was obvious, but also they found gunshot residue. That just proves she was there in the room. It doesn't support she was the one to pull the trigger. Yet Sarge is fine pushing for her to be arrested.”

“Must be really hard to watch.”

He nods. “I hate not being able to help.”

“I’m sure the evidence will continue to support the truth,” I reply. “Eventually he’ll see it.”

He sighs. “Hopefully that happens before Erin loses all hope.”

I frown. "What?"

“She's starting to give up.”

"I'm sure she isn't.”

“She refused to have Toadie be in there today,” he replies. “The only reason why he was there, was cause I basically pressured her into it. She was willing to risk condemning herself. And I don't know how it would have gone had Toadie not been there to defend her.”

“I know I haven't known her for long, but… I do know she's tough like you.”

“I don’t think that's going to be enough,” he says. “Sarge is putting a _huge_ amount of pressure on her. She's been through hell,  & I just don't think she's got the willpower to keep on fighting. She's going to crack under the pressure… And I’m worried that she's going to do something that we can't save her from.”

“You know what you should do?”

“Talk to her?”

I nod.

“I’ve tried that.”

“Was it as a cop or as her big brother who's looking out for her?”

“I’m _always_ her big brother looking out for her before being a cop,” he replies. “She's always looked to me for help. And now… When she really needs me… She's determined to push me away.”

“Sounds like you're letting her.”

He frowns. “No I’m _not_!”

I tilt my head, staring at him for a moment. “You are. I can hear it in your voice.”

“So what do I do?”

“Well… Talking Erin into continuing to fight isn't working out all that well, right?” I ask. “Instead of focusing on her, why don't you try a different tactic?”

“What do you suggest?”

“I would start by finding out why Sarge is so set on blaming Erin for Eddie's death. Determine his motive, & you can find a way of getting him to see the truth.”

He thinks it over. “Definitely worth trying.”

I smile. “Definitely.”

“In the meantime, I need you to do a favour?”

“Oh?”

“Would you talk to Erin?”

"Didn't I _just_ advise you _not_ to do that? Why would I do it instead?”

“It wouldn't hurt giving it a try,” he replies. “Usually she trusts me to help her. Given that she's basically running from me, I thought I should take a page from you & try a new tactic. So… I was wondering if you would talk to her.”

I nod. “Sure. I’ll go talk to her after my shift.”

“Thank you.”

“Not convinced it will do much,” I reply. “But it's worth a shot.”

He smiles. “I love you.”

I smile. “I love you too.”

He kisses my left temple. “I better get back to work.”

I nod. “See you back at our hotel room?”

He nods.

****

Our hotel room door opens. I look up from my iPad, roll my eyes & sigh as I see that it's Mark.

“Surely you have work to do.”

“Nice to see you too, Erin.”

“You here to try & talk me into fighting harder?”

“I don't get why you're suddenly giving up,” he says, walking over. “Last night you were defending yourself. Today… You're giving in.”

“I’m just being realistic,” I reply. “Your sergeant is going to bend _every_ piece of evidence into supporting him. It's inevitable that he’ll arrest me.”

He sits down on the couch beside me. “And what about Felicity?”

“She has you, Tyler & Aaron.”

“We're _nothing_ compared to her mum,” he replies. “Whatever happened to the woman who was crying at Felicity's bedside, freaking out over the fact that her daughter may lose both her parents?”

“I watched as the man I once loved threaten Felicity's, Piper’s & my own life because he was scared that his uncle was going to jail,” I reply. “He's terrorised my life for months, & I finally got closure last night. Only that _wasn't_ closure. That was me going from the frying pan into the damn fire!” Fighting back tears, I stand up as I drop my iPad on the couch. “I’ve spent the last few months fighting to keep Felicity  & I safe. It's worn me down, little by little,” I add, pacing. “So now that yet _another_ man who _thinks_ he knows me when he knows _nothing_ is threatening to rip my daughter  & I apart… I… I _can't_ keep doing this!”

He stands & walks over to me. “You were alone for all those months,” he replies. “But you're not any more. You have your brothers. So please don't give up.”

I sigh. "I don't want to give up,” I reply. “I just…” My tears fall. “I just don't have the energy.”

“I know you're exhausted, but you have to keep trying,” he replies. “Felicity needs you.”

“I’ve done nothing but brought pain into her life,” I reply. “She's better off without me.”

“None of this is your fault, Erin!”

"I can't do this any more, Mark! I’ve tried & I’ve tried. I just _can't_ take this any longer. It's a losing battle, one that I will _never_ win!”

“You don't have to fight this alone. Tyler, Aaron & I care for you. And we care for Felicity. So instead of pushing me away, let me help. Let me be the support you need. The _strength_ you need to keep fighting. I’m not going to let them take you from your family.”

It gets all too much for me, & I collapse against his chest. I wrap my arms around him as I sob. He wraps his arms tightly around me as my body trembles from my sobbing. We stand there in silence except for my sobbing, his right hand slowly rubbing my back the way he always comforts me when I’m this upset.

“I’ll let you fight for me,” I say, once I’m calm enough to reply.

“There's my girl,” he replies, before kissing the top of my head.

****

At 4pm, Piper & I walk into our hotel room. Erin is relaxed on the couch, looking at something on her iPad.

“Hey,” I say, walking over as Piper shuts the door. “How are you?”

“Doing a lot better since Mark & I talked,” Erin replies, as she puts her iPad down on her lap.

I’m surprised. “He… He came & talked to you?”

She nods.

“I _knew_ it!” I exclaim, sitting down on the other couch. “I _knew_ he wouldn't be able to stay away!”

Erin looks confused as Piper sits down beside me.

“He came to _Harold's_ earlier, after your interview this morning,” I explain. “He was really worried about you, especially since you were starting to look like you were giving up. So I suggested he back off for a bit,  & try to work a different angle. Like finding out why his boss is so adamant in finding you guilty. And then he asked if I’d talk to you. I just _knew_ he wouldn't stick with my advise! He's like a dog with a bone when there's a case this complicated. I mean, I love him for being so passionate about his job, but... sometimes he really needs to learn how to back off.”

“Much as I agree with that last bit,” Erin replies. “I'm actually glad he came to me.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah,” She replies, smiling a little. “He got me to finally say what's been going on in my head ever since I woke up. Things I should have told him this morning, but was too afraid to say.”

“So… Does that mean you're not giving up?”

She nods. “I should have let him in,” She replies. “I’ve always relied on him, & I…” She sighs. “A part of me was determined to show him I could do it on my own. When really… Really I needed him more than ever before.”

I smile. “Well, look at it like this,” I reply. “You realised your mistake before it was too late to fix. That's what counts.”

“Yeah. Thankfully.”

“You have your three amazing brothers.”

“And us,” Piper adds. “We may not be sisters by blood, but we're here for you as if we are.”

Erin smiles. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” Piper & I say in unison.

“We’ve all been through traumatic events lately,” Piper says. “But together we can get through this. A support network.”

“Sounds good to me,” I reply.

“Me too,” Erin says.

“You wanna join me in a group hug, sisters?” Piper asks.

“Uhh, yeeeah!” I reply.

We all stand, Erin walking over to us & we have a group hug. Erin’s mobile pings with a text. We break our hug & Erin crosses back to the lounge she’d been on, & picks up her mobile.

“Got a secret admirer?” Piper teases.

I watch Erin’s smile vanishes as she reads the text. She swallows. _Hard_. She stands there, reading it over  & over.

I look at Piper. She looks at me, & I see that she's just as worried as I am.

“Erin?” I ask, concerned. “Are you okay?”

She swallows hard again, followed by licking her lips. She pulls her eyes from her mobile, meeting mine. The colour is drained from her face.

“Erin?” I ask, taking a step towards her. “Is it something to do with the case?”

“I… Uhhh…” She says. “I… I have to make a call.”

I nod. “Okay,” I reply, taking another step towards her. “Can you tell me what's going on first?”

She shakes her head. She then turns & heads for the balcony, pushing the door open & disappearing from our sight thanks to the frosted glass.

I look at Piper.

“What was that about?” She asks.

“I don't know,” I reply. “But I'm going to call Mark. See if he knows.”

She nods. “Good idea. Should I call Toadie?”

I nod. “Ask him if any more evidence has come in.”

****

I’m at the front desk, shifting through reports looking for one when the front door opens. I look up, surprised & confused to see my sister walking in, her eyes focused on the rooms at the back of the station.

“Erin?”

Her head snaps to look in my direction, eyes widening & mouth dropping open as she looks at me.

“Wh-What are you doing here?” She asks.

“I was about to ask you the same thing.”

"No, no, no! You're meant to be out on patrol.”

“I was, but I have paperwork to catch up on, so I swapped with another officer.”

“You have to leave.”

I frown. “What?”

“Please, Mark. _Go_.”

“Not until you explain what's going on,” I reply, stepping round the desk to her.

She backs into the waiting area. “Please, just go.”

“What? No! Erin!” I plead, walking closer.

She continues to back away, stepping round the coffee table in the middle of the room & backing towards the front desk as I keep following her. Just as she's approaching it, Sarge & two more officers enter from the back rooms. Erin looks at Sarge.

“You promised he wasn't going to be here,” she says to him.

“What's going on?” I ask. “Erin?”

“Please, Mark. Just go,” Erin replies. “You're not supposed to be here.”

“I'm not going to leave when you're this terrified,” I reply.

She looks at Sarge. “Make him leave!” She pleads.

Sarge doesn't.

“MAKE HIM LEAVE, OR THE DEAL IS OFF!”

I frown. “What deal?” I ask. “ _Erin_.”

She looks defeated. She hangs her head & sighs. She then slowly lifts her head, tears filling her eyes as she meets mine.

“I’m so sorry,” she says. “You… You weren't supposed to know until afterwards.”

“Erin,” I say, taking a step towards her but one of the officers puts an arm up to stop me.

“Erin Brennan,” Sarge says as the other officer steps behind her. “You're under arrest for the murder of Edward Dimato.”

“ _What?!_ ” I ask, watching as the officer behind her pulls her right arm behind her back.

Erin looks at me, fighting back tears as her wrists are handcuffed behind her back. The officer next to me keeps me back as Sarge & the other officer escort Erin through the waiting room, headed for the holding cells.

Erin looks back at me, her devastation written all over her face. The officer pushes her on & I lose sight of her. I try to follow, but the officer with me stops me.

_This can't be happening!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What deal has Erin made that has resulted in her arrest? And what was in that text to send her where she is now? What's made her change her mind once again?


	32. As I Lose Myself Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark, Tyler and Aaron plead to Erin to let them help her, but all hope is fading when she keeps them at bay. Frustrated & desperate, Mark asks Toadie for his help. Piper supports Tyler, Is Erin spiralling out of control? Can her brothers save her before she does something undoable?
> 
> WARNING: It gets graphic near the end. You've been warned. So brace yourselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you thought last chapter ended with as shock, brace yourselves.

I enter  _ Harold's  _ in the hope of finding Toadie. And there he is, having coffee with Paige. I cross to them.

“Oh, speak of the devil!” Paige says as I approach. “We were just talking about you!”

I kiss her & as I sit down, she frowns at me.

“What's wrong?” She asks. “You look worried.”

“Did you know?” I ask Toadie.

“Know what?” He asks.

“Did you know Erin would do what she just did?”

Toadie & Paige frown.

“You're going to have to be more specific,” Toadie says.

“She just walked into the station, freaked out that I was there… & when Sarge walked up, she  _ begged _ him to send me away.”

“That's as weird as when she got the text when she was with me & Piper in our hotel room,” Paige replies.

“You haven't heard the worst part.”

Paige takes my hand. “What is it?”

“Sarge,” I reply. I fight my emotions. “He arrested her.”

“ _ What? _ ” Paige & Toadie both say.

“Neither of them would explain it,” I reply. “Erin… When she was begging Sarge to get me to go, she threatened that if he didn't make me leave, then… Then the deal would be off.” I look at Toadie. “I want to make sure that you didn't know about it.”

Toadie shakes his head. “She hasn't consulted me about it,” he replies. “And if she had, you know I would have urged her not to go through with it. And I definitely wouldn't keep it from you.”

I nod, sighing. “Thought so.”

“What's with the glum faces?” Aaron asks.

I look at him, seeing Felicity in his arms.

“Erin’s handed herself in,” Paige replies.

“Wh-what?”

“Mark says she walked into the station, freaked out that he was there, & it sounds like she made a deal with Sarge.”

Aaron sighs, closing his eyes. “No wonder she called me & asked me to pick Felicity up,” he says. “She was obviously trying to distract us all.”

I stand & head for the door. I hear Paige & Toadie stand too.

“Where are you going?” Paige asks.

“To find out what's going on in my sister's head,” I reply, pulling the door open.

I walk out, heading for the police station. Paige catches up to me, stepping in front of me so I have to stop suddenly. I sigh in annoyance.

“I get that you're looking for answers,” She says. “But the fact that Erin  _ didn't  _ want you there when she was being arrested is a sign that you should give her some space right now.”

“Why would I give her space when she's just handed herself in for something she didn't do?”

“She's been through a lot. And whatever that text was… It's triggered something in her mind,” She says. “You're worried & I get why, but… You look like you're going to yell at her, & right now, that's the last thing she needs. So do what's best & just leave her alone.”

I clench my jaw. “I’m sorry, but I can’t.”

"Mark," She pleads as I step around her.

I keep going, pausing for a second to pull open the station’s front door, & step inside.

****

Aaron & I exit the station & cross to Mark & Paige who are waiting at the statue. Mark is pacing & Paige is sitting down, holding Felicity. She gets to her feet as we approach.

“We couldn't get in,” I say.

Mark clenches his jaw.

“It sounds like she's requested that none of us are granted access to her cell,” Aaron says.

Mark sighs & then runs his hand over his face. “What does she expect us to do?”

“Do what I suggested earlier & give her space,” Paige replies.

“And leave her vulnerable to Sarge? No way!”

“She's scared, & the last thing she needs is her big brother who she admires so much going in there & getting mad at her,” Paige replies. “You want answers, but you need to look at it from her side.”

Toadie walks over. "Hey, any luck seeing Erin?”

“Sarge won't let me in, while Aaron & Tyler have been denied access to the holding cells,” Mark replies.

“Well, there's another way we can find out what's going on.”

“Anything is good right now,” Mark replies.

****

A male officer comes to the door of my holding cell, looking through the bars in the small window in it at me.

“You’ve been in here an hour & you’ve got a fourth visitor,” he says. “That has to be a record.”

“Which one of my annoying brothers is it this time?”

"None.”

“My sister-in-law?”

“Okay, I'm just going to cut to the chase so I don't have to listen to you guessing,” he replies. “It's your lawyer.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Interesting.”

“You want to see him, or should I blacklist him too?”

I sigh. “No, let him in.”

He nods, before walking off. He returns a few minutes later, opening the door. Toadie walks in & smiles. He doesn't say anything until the door closes & the officer steps away.

“Let me guess, it was your idea for you to come,” I say.

“Why do you say that?”

“Because all three of my brothers have tried to see me, & I just don't think that they would come up with the idea to send you in. They’d want to hear the truth from me.”

“They're worried about you.”

“Tell them I’m fine.”

“All three of them are outside right now,” he says. “Felicity's asking for you. Aaron’s trying to figure out a way of explaining to Felicity why her mum isn't with her for the second evening in a row. Tyler's trying to figure out why you would do this, & Mark? Do I really need to explain what he's like?”

I don't reply.

“You saw the look of devastation when he saw you being arrested.” 

“That's why I didn't want him there,” I reply, fighting back tears. “I knew he'd feel like it was a betrayal. And that's what I did. I betrayed him.”

“And you know what's hurting more than that?” He asks. “The fact that he wants to help you, to be your support, & you’ve got him sitting in the sidelines. He's losing his mind.”

“And yet no one’s considering that  _ I’m _ losing my mind!”

“That's what they're worried about,” he says. “They want to know what you're thinking. Why hand yourself in, when only two hours earlier you promised Mark that you would let him be your support while you fight?”

I fight back tears. “I can't say.”

“Why are you refusing our help?”

“Because I don't want it.”

****

While we’re waiting for Toadie to come back out, Mark paces again. I see Piper come round the corner of the hotel. I stand & walk over to her, giving her a hug.

“Hey, what's going on?” She asks.

“Uhhh… Erin handed herself in.”

She looks shocked. “Seriously?”

I nod. “And now she's refusing to talk to Mark, Aaron & me. Toadie's in there now… & given how long he's been gone, I think he's been successful in getting through to see her.”

“Oh my god, I’m sorry, Ty,” she replies, pulling me in as she stands on her tiptoes & hugs me.

I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight, burying my face into the nape of her neck.

“We don't know what to do,” I mumble against her skin.

“You just got to keep being there for her.”

I pull back & sigh. “She's shutting us out.”

“She knows that you're here for her,” she replies, holding my arms. “That's a start.”

I nod. “I just wish she'd let us know why she's doing this.”

“You didn't see what happened when he had us,” she replies. “He was terrifying. She's traumatised. More than I am, because she saw him die. She was the last person to see him alive. That's going to take its toll on her.”

“And pushing us away?”

“Coping mechanism?”

"Mark's taking this the hardest.”

“They're close, right? Him & Erin.”

I nod. “Aaron & I are either side of her, in terms of age. But… She's always been closest with Mark.”

“Makes sense that he's taking this hard. She's throwing her life away over something she didn't do. And he's helpless.”

I frown. “When did you get so wise?”

“I’m just not as emotionally invested in this as you are.”

“Can you use that same smartness to get in to see Erin & talk her out of this?”

“She's in shock. Give her some time. And then talk to her, when you have a better chance of her seeing things clearly.”

I smirk. She tilts her head as she narrows her eyes.

“What?”

“It's just… You sounded a lot like Paige just then,” I reply. “She's been talking Mark out of barging in there ever since she was arrested.”

“Good on him for listening to her.”

"If it keeps going, he'll eventually ignore her & go in.”

****

“I’m going to tell them,” Toadie says.

“No you won't,” I reply. “What’s said between us is covered by client-attorney privilege. Legally you can't tell them."

“They need to know.”

I shake my head. “No.”

“So why tell me then?”

“Because I need you to keep them safe.”

He frowns. “Safe?”

“I don't want them getting caught up in this,” I reply. “I’m going down, & the less they know, the better.”

“And what about Felicity? You're the only parent she has.”

“There's no other way.”

“No, you're wrong, Erin,” he says. “You have another way. It's called fighting.”

The door opens, & the male officer steps into the doorway. “Time’s up.”

"We're not done,” Toadie says.

“Sarge’s orders,” the officer says.

Toadie sighs. "Alright." He looks at me. "I want you to think hard about what we've discussed.”

“I will,” I reply. “Doesn't mean I’ll do what you want me to.”

“Don't do something you can't undo, Erin.”

He leaves.

****

We’re allowed to wait inside the station for Toadie. He finally emerges from the holding cells just after dusk.

“Toadie,” I say.

“Mark.”

“How is she?”

He sighs. "Stubborn," he replies. “But okay.”

“I just wish I could go talk to her.”

“Normally I would agree & try to help, but…”

I frown. “But what?”

“It's like talking to a brick wall,” he explains. “I know she's listening, but… She's ignoring it. Sticking to whatever weird plan she's talked herself in to.”

“Why do you say that?” Tyler asks, as he, Az, Paige & Piper step over to us.

“She told me why she's handed herself in.”

We all look shocked.

“And?” I ask. “Why did she?”

“That's the problem. Or part of it,” he replies. “Because I got in by saying I’m her lawyer… She's using that to… Basically blackmailing me into not passing it on to you.”

“Client-attorney privilege,” Piper says.

Toadie nods. “But the motive isn't what troubles me. It's the fact she said she only told me so I would keep you all safe.”

****

I stare at the tray of food the officer brought me after Toadie had left. I'm not hungry.

But the knife catches my eye.

Yes, the knife. 

I pick it up.

It's sharper than you’d expect a knife given to someone in my position to be.

_ There's a third way out of this… _

****

“Safe?” I ask, brow furrowed. “From what?”

“She was vague when I asked her that,” Toadie says. “But it seems like she fears that you’ll all be prosecuted if she does whatever she has planned.”

I sigh, trying to figure out what she's doing. I see a male officer exit the holding cells area, carrying an empty food tray.

“Hey,” I say to him. “Did Erin Brennan get one of those?”

He nods. “I gave her one a few minutes ago.”

“Was there cutlery?”

“Of course.”

“Specifically a knife?”

“I… Uh… I think so.”

"How sharp?”

“I… I don't know,” he replies. “I give them the tray. I don't pay attention to the details.”

“ _ Shit _ ,” I mutter.

"Mark?" Paige asks.

“Get me in there,” I tell the officer.

“But Sarge-”

“ _ I don't care _ !” I bark. “Get me in there.  _ Now _ .”

He looks terrified. He nods repeatedly. He puts the tray down & leads me down the corridor to the holding cells. He unlocks the security door, leading me to Erin’s door. I notice the window in the door is covered over.

“Did you do that?” I ask, pointing to the window.

He shakes his head. “It was open when I left.”

My gut instinct screams that something isn't right. “Get it open.”

I wait impatiently as he unlocks her door- fumbling to get the key in the lock.

Finally he opens it & I pull it open. I step inside, pausing for a second in shock at what I see.

“Erin!” I exclaim.

I rush over, kneeling down beside her. She's lying on her left side, facing the door, legs half tucked up as if they’d been pulled up if she was sitting. She's shaking as she struggles to breathe, arms stretched out in an odd way. But what's really alarming are the two long cuts on the inside of her forearms- the knife lying in the pool of blood between her arms.

“Go call an ambulance!” I shout at the officer.

He runs off. I turn my attention back to her.

“Stay with me, Erin,” I tell her. “Stay with me.”

“I… I'm sorry,” she whispers.

She then passes out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will she survive? Why did she do it? And what is she hiding from her brothers?


	33. Not Out Of The Woods

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Brennans try to cope with the last shock. But just as things start to settle down, a stranger arrives that will throw more shock & drama their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kicking off one of my most exciting ideas with this.

She flatlined in the ambulance on the way to Erinsborough hospital. They were still resuscitating her when we arrived. Karl met us as soon as we arrived, & rushed her straight into surgery- leaving me in the waiting room.

I sit down & sigh. The last two times I watched someone I love be rushed into surgery, I lost the first & almost the second. And now I’m here, waiting for news if my sister has survived or not.

I lean forward, hunched over with my arms resting on my legs & clasp my hands. I stare at a spot on the floor, zoning out for a long time. After a while, Paige sits down beside me. She wraps her hands around mine.

Aaron, Tyler, Piper & Felicity join us.

“She could have died,” I say, breaking the silence.

“You saved her,” Paige says.

“If I hadn’t been there…”

“Don’t think like that,” Aaron replies.

“I just wish she hadn’t pushed us away,” I reply. “She shouldn’t have.”

Paige rests her head on my shoulder.

“She flatlined in the ambulance,” I say. “She wasn’t in the clear when they took her away.”

“We haven’t heard anything yet,” Aaron replies.

“Which is a good sign,” Tyler adds. “She’s clearly still alive. If she wasn’t, you know Karl would be out here.”

In rather spooky timing, Karl walks in. I rise & cross to him. He looks so serious.

“She's… Is she…” I struggle, choking on tears. “She's gone.”

He shakes his head & I let out a huge sigh. The others step over. Paige places a hand on my back.

“As you know, she flatlined before arriving,” Karl says. “We rushed her off to do three things- stop the bleeding, get her on a blood transfusion & get her heart beating. It was very touch & go, but she's alive. They were bandaging her forearms when I left, so I expect her to be moved to a room shortly.”

“Thank you, Karl.”

“You're welcome,” He replies. “She's not out of the woods yet, though.”

I nod. “But she's at least on the road to recovery. That's enough for me right now.”

“Unfortunately I’m going to have to keep her in for a few days,” Karl replies. “Normally I’d discharge her when she's well enough. However… given the circumstances she came in under, I have no choice but to put her on suicide watch. Which means she's legally detained here for forty eight hours.”

“Is that really necessary?” Aaron asks.

“It's hospital protocol,” Karl replies. “Even if I was able to make an exception, unfortunately I can't with Erin. While we were in surgery, the Erinsborough Police called. They are pushing for us to hold her on it.”

I clench my jaw. “Sarge is being _unbelievable_ with this!”

“He wants her handcuffed to her bed.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“She's still in police custody. He has the right to handcuff her.”

I rub my face as I sigh. “You know what? I wouldn't be surprised if he's the reason she tried to kill herself.”

“Mark,” Aaron says.

“ _No_! We almost lost our sister cause he's been pushing her into confessing to something she _didn't_ do, & there's _no way_ I’m letting him get away with it!”

“I advised him that handcuffing her wasn't necessary,” Karl says. “I strongly believe that this is a one off incident, that she won't try again. And she won't try to run away.”

“What did he say?”

“He's agreed.”

I sigh in relief. “Thank you, Karl.”

He nods.

“When can we see her?” Tyler asks.

“You can be in her room as soon as they have her in it,” Karl replies. “A nurse will be out soon to tell you when you can.”

****

Ten minutes after Karl spoke with us, a nurse came & told us we could see Erin. The others decided that I should go on my own. I hesitate at her door, preparing myself for what I’ll see. I open the door & step in.

She’s lying on her back, her face almost completely drained of colour; her arms are by her side, white bandages wrapped around her forearms. She looks so vulnerable.

I step in further & close the door. I turn around slowly, fighting back tears. _How could anyone ever ruin someone's life, the way someone has broken my sister's?_

I walk over to her side. She's sleeping off the anaesthetic, but is thankfully breathing on her own. I can't believe she would think the only way out of this would be to end her life. To leave Felicity without her mother. That she would let this break her for good. _Where's the fighter that I know she is? Why would she let the darkness consume her?_

I hate that Dimato has ruined her life. He’s done enough damage to my family- almost killing me, Paige & our twins. But watching what he's done to my baby sister- to see my strong-willed, happy sister become so worn down she wants to kill herself. It’s too heartbreaking.

He won't get away with this. I’ll make sure that he pays. Even if it takes me months to get him, I _won't_ stop until he's behind bars.

I lean down & kiss her forehead. I then pull a chair closer & sit down, finally letting the tears fall.

 

****

I head back to the hospital straight after breakfast, ignoring the fact that I’m meant to be working. I can't stand being at the station when my sister is like this. I can't stand being around Sarge, knowing that he played such a huge roll in putting her in hospital.

Karl texted last night after we’d left to say that she had woken & was going well. I open her door, to find her sleeping on her right side, her left arm resting on her right. I slowly close the door, not wanting to wake her. As I walk over to same chair I sat in last night, I can tell the colour has come back in her cheeks. Such a relief!

I sit down as my mobile rings. I look at the ID, seeing its work- in fact, Sarge's desk. I reject the call as she stirs. She opens her eyes as I look up at her.

“Hey,” I say softly, tucking my mobile back into my pocket & leaning forward.

“Hey,” she softly replies.

“How are you?”

“Sore & tired.”

“Have you had breakfast?”

She raises an eyebrow. “You're not mad at me for this?”

“I’m your big brother. I wanna put you first for a bit,” I reply. “So let me care about whether you’ve eaten before I chastise you for yesterday.”

She narrows her eyes but smiles. “No, I haven't eaten yet,” She replies. “In fact, haven't since lunch yesterday.”

“Well, I’m gonna go see if we can get you something,” I reply as I stand. “Even if I have to go get something from the cafeteria.”

“You're the best!” She says as I cross to the door.

I go out to the Nurse’s station & talk to a Nurse. With food on its way, I return to her room. She's now sitting up. Her bandages stand out against the baby blue of her hospital gown & sheets.

“Food will be here shortly,” I tell her as I return to my seat.

She nods. “You gonna get angry at me now?”

I tilt my head, looking at her for a minute. “I’m not angry at you.”

She looks surprised.

“I’m relieved that you're still here,” I say, taking hold of her hand.

“So who's getting the cold shoulder, then?”

I frown.

“The call that you aggressively rejected,” She adds.

“You saw that?”

“I opened one eye before you noticed that I was awake.”

I smirk. “That was Sarge. I’m meant to be at the station right now.”

“You should go.”

“No way.”

“ _Mark_.”

“ _No_. I’m not going to be around _him_ when my baby sister is here after almost dying.”

“You are aware that you’ll eventually _have_ to go back there.”

“Yes. Just not today.”

“I’m not gonna let you throw away your career over this.”

I shrug. “Maybe I don't wanna be a cop anymore.”

“You wouldn't quit,” She replies. “It's engrained in your blood.”

“I’ve done it before.”

“You were forced to, because you did the right thing & reported a dodgy cop.”

“Yeah, well it feels like I’m back there again.”

“So don't give it up.”

I shake my head. “It's costing me too much.”

She tilts her head. “You love being a cop.”

“I love you more.”

She smiles, fighting back tears. “I love you too much to let you throw your career away,” she replies. “Being a cop makes you happy. You’ve always wanted to be one.”

“Things change with time.”

“Come here,” she says, patting the edge of her bed.

I get up & sit on the edge of her bed, facing her.

“I let the pressure get to me. It broke me down, &…” She sighs. “Don't make the same mistake. You walk away from the force, you’re going to look back at it & regret leaving. Things get tough, life tries to break all of us. Learn something from these last few days… Don't give up your career.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Good,” she says, with a nod. “Seeing you in your cop uniform makes me so proud. You’ve always made me feel safe because I had you looking out for me. Erinsborough needs you to do that for everyone. Everyone needs a cop like you.”

I smile. “You're not gonna let it go, are you?”

She smiles. “Just making sure you know what I see.”

“Are you going to tell me why you did this?” I ask, glancing at her bandages.

She sighs. “I cracked under the pressure,” she replies. “Hit rock bottom, & convinced myself that the only way out was to…”

“You promised me that you would fight.”

“I know,” She softly replies, fighting back tears. “And I’m sorry for betraying you like that. And being in that cell… Alone… I couldn't fight the thoughts running through my head any longer. It was a moment of weakness, & I _hated_ myself for pushing you away. Had I not been so stupid,  & tried to handle this on my own, I wouldn't be here right now. I wouldn't have tried to kill myself &-”

She cries & I shift closer, pulling her into a hug. She holds onto my jacket tightly, crying as she rests her head on my chest & I gently rub her back.

****

I steer the conversation away from the last few days while she eats her breakfast, trying to bring back her smile. Just as she finishes eating, my mobile beeps with a message. I check it, huffing as I see its Sarge- _You're very late to your shift. Consider this a warning. Call me._

“Don't risk getting disciplinary action to be here,” she says.

I look at her as I shove it back into my pocket. “I’ll contact him later.”

“Go do it now.”

I shake my head. She rolls her eyes. I remember what Paige told me last night- that Erin received a text that shook her. But it hadn't been from the police- I’d checked.

“Aer,” I say.

“Wow,” She replies. “Haven't heard that nickname in ages.”

I smile. “Paige told me about the text you got yesterday,” I say, & she almost grimaces. “She said you were spooked by it, thought it was maybe from my work, but I checked. It wasn't.”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“The timing of it suggests that it is connected to you handing yourself in… Possibly the suicide attempt too.”

“Oh, _there's_ the cop in you!”

“Aer, that's not what's going on!”

“ _Really_?”

“I’m concerned,” I reply. “You told me you were going to fight the accusations, & then you get that text. Next thing I know, you’re handing yourself in, refuse to talk to me or our brothers & then you try to kill yourself. I'm just…” I sigh. “I’m just trying to figure out what caused you to be so different.”

She shakes her head.

“Aer, please.”

She shakes her head even more.

I stand up & sit on the edge of her bed. I take hold of both her hands.

“This isn't you,” I say. “Something… Maybe there's more than one thing… But something's causing you to be like this. I want to be there for you. But I can't if you keep pushing me away. So _please_ let me in, Aer.”

She fights back tears & I can tell she's trying to decide if she should tell me.

“It was the army,” She says. “Wanting to talk to me about Zack.”

“Felicity's dad?”

She nods. “I’m listed, along with his parents, as an emergency contact,” She says. “Cause of Felicity.”

I nod.

“They never contact me, requesting that I call as soon as possible,” She continues. “So… When I got the text, I was… It shook me.”

“Is he okay?”

She stares at me, fighting tears, & then shakes her head. “He was killed in action.”

My heart sinks. “I’m so sorry.”

She bursts into tears. I pull her in, wrapping my arms around her tightly as she cries.

****

“He’s dead?” Tyler asks. “Wow. No wonder she did what she did.”

Tyler, Aaron & I are standing in the hospital waiting room. I called both of them here to tell them about Erin’s news & to be there for her.

I nod. “It definitely explains why she would give in & make the deal with Sarge.”

“And then her attempted suicide…”

“Why didn't she tell us?” Aaron asks.

“She said she wasn't thinking straight,” I reply. “Having both her exes die so close together. I can't imagine the emotional & psychological toll that would have. She was already so fragile & on the brink of giving up. I talked her into keep fighting. Hearing the news that Zack had died would have broken what little strength she had left. Pushing us away would have been her coping with it all. Probably trying to protect us from watching her self-destruct.”

“But… Suicide?” Tyler asks.

“Don’t, Tyler,” I warn him.

“No. I wanna know why our sister decided to take her own life. Even if it was just an attempt.”

“You haven't lost someone like she has,” I reply. “You haven't watched as someone you love bleeds out in front of you, & you can't do a _thing_ to save them. So you just watch them slip away, praying that some miracle will happen  & you don't have to live without them. You don't know the pain of losing someone like that. Of having to live with their last minutes on your mind.” I step closer to him. “ _I_ have. Our _sister_ has. But her situation is _way worse_. She had to cope with all of that, plus potential murder charges. And then her ex, the father if her little girl, dies. That pain of losing _one_ person is overwhelming. Losing _two_ people like that in the space of twenty-four hours is enough to drive you into doing the unthinkable.”

“Okay,” Aaron says, placing a hand on my shoulder to defuse the situation. “We’re all stressed out. Why don't Ty & I go in & see Erin. You stay out here & take a break.”

I stare at Tyler for a moment, & then nod. Aaron squeezes my shoulder, waiting until Tyler passes behind him before he takes his hand off my shoulder. I turn around, watching as Tyler & then Aaron enter Erin’s room. I sigh heavily, before running my hands over my face.

“Hey, are you okay?” Paige asks.

I look left, seeing her approach with Felicity in her arms.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Is Erin okay?”

I nod. “As good as can be, given recent events,” I reply. “How come…” I point to Felicity.

“She wants to see her,” She replies. “Thought it would be mean not to. I thought the least I could do is bring her here. So at least she can be with us & near Erin. She may not want Felicity in there, but… I thought the proximity might do both of them some good.”

I smile. “Good idea.”

Felicity reaches out her chubby arm to me. I may have only known her a few days, but I already know that's her way of asking to swap who has her. Which is strange, given how good she is at talking. I step closer, slipping my hands under her arms & lift her out of Paige’s arms. I hold her against my chest & she rests her head on my shoulder, as if she knows I need a hug.

“Should I go see if Erin wants to see her?”

I shake my head. “Aaron & Tyler have just gone in. Let them have some time with her.”

****

Felicity fell asleep after a little while, & so I filled Paige in on what Erin had told me as Felicity sleeps on my chest. When Aaron & Tyler emerged from Erin’s room, I passed Felicity to Paige & crossed to Erin’s room.

“Hey,” I say, poking my head in.

“You should be at work,” She replies, as I shut the door behind me.

“I called in earlier,” I reply as I cross to her. “Sarge wasn't pleased with me… And so I’m… I’m on suspension for the next couple of days.”

She tilts her head, giving me a disapproving look.

“I don't care,” I reply. “If he hadn't suspended me, I would have asked for the days off.”

“You shouldn't.”

“Too late. It's done.”

“Stubborn.”

“It's called caring for my baby sister.”

“Is there a reason why you came in? Or did you just want to guilt-trip me into approving your rather ridiculously bad way of getting suspended?”

I sigh. “I came to ask you something.”

“Depends on what.”

“Whether you want to see your daughter, who is waiting outside?” I ask. “I wasn't sure if you’d want her to see you like this.”

Her eyes drift to the windows looking out to the hallway & waiting room. “Bring her in.”

“Are you sure?”

“I can't keep holding her at arm’s length,” she replies. “She's been through just as much as I have these last few days. She needs me.”

I nod. “Okay,” I reply. “I’ll go get her.”

****

The door opens again a few minutes later, & Mark steps in carrying Felicity. He acts surprised as he looks at her.

“Look, Felicity!” He says, excitedly. “There's Mummy!”

“Heyyy baby girl!” I say, smiling.

Felicity squirms as Mark shuts the door, desperate to get to me as he turns & steps over. He places a still squirming Felicity down on the end of my bed. She crawls up very quickly, into my open arms. I hold her tight against me, smothering the top of her head with kisses. Mark chuckles as he sits down in the chair at my bedside.

****

I bring Felicity out after a while, upon Erin’s request so she can sleep. I sit down beside Paige, settling Felicity on my lap, her back against my chest.

“Well, that went well,” Paige says.

I nod. “Felicity was a little curious about her bandages,” I reply. “She was touching them, feeling them as she worked out what they were. Erin said this is her first time seeing bandages, so she was very curious. But other than that, she was fine. Just happy to see her mum again.”

“I bet she was,” Paige says.

Tyler waves a toy, trying to get Felicity's attention. But Felicity is busy staring at people passing by the nurses’ station to our left.

“Daddyyyyyy!!!” She squeals.

Aaron, Tyler, Paige & I look confused.

“Felicity, honey,” I say.

“Daddyyyy!” She repeats, squirming & reaching out towards the nurses’ station.

I look towards it, trying to figure out what's captivated her. There's a young man, about Erin’s age, wearing jeans & a black leather jacket walking over to us. His eyes fall on Felicity, & he smiles at her- she squeals in delight.

“Uhhh… Can we help you?” I ask him, instantly wary of the stranger. I hold Felicity closer to my chest. She squirms, but can't get away, which frustrates her.

The man turns his attention to me. “You must be Mark.”

“And you are?”

“Zack Freeman,” he replies. “You're holding my daughter.”

I rise, holding Felicity even more securely much to her frustration. Aaron, Tyler & Paige stand too, my brothers stepping closer in defence.

“Felicity's father was killed in action two days ago,” I reply.

“I think her reaction to seeing me would indicate otherwise,” he says. “But if you want, I have my driver's license. That will verify who I am. Which you would know, being a cop.”

I pass Felicity to Paige. Felicity screams at the fact she’s now further away from the man.

“That could be forged,” I reply.

“Okay,” he says. “Thought the fact she's trying to get to me would be sufficient identification. But maybe you should escort me into Erin’s room, & she can identify me. Because I’m sure you’ll accept _her_ word.”

“Or I could take you to the Erinsborough Police sub-station & have your identity verified there,” I reply.

“Wouldn't Erin be quicker? She's closer.”

“She's sleeping,” I reply. “And there's no way I’m letting a strange man into my sister's room after all she’s been through lately.”

****

Just as I’m drifting off, Felicity's frustrated cry pierces the silence. I open my eyes, listening & waiting to see if Mark calms her down. But she cries out again, & I can't shake the maternal instinct to go check on her. So I push aside my sheet & blanket aside & get up. I slip on a dressing gown & cross to the door. Mark pulled the blinds shut before he left, so I can sleep. But it makes it hard to see what's going on.

I open the door, squinting at the sudden brightness. I pause, letting my eyes adjust before I step further out.

I stop in the doorway, & take in the scene. Paige is holding a rather frustrated Felicity, holding her tight against her chest as Felicity squirms & cries. They're behind Mark, Tyler & Aaron who are standing in a row. All three have their arms crossed, serious expressions on their face as they stare at a man in a leather jacket, his back to me so I can't see his face. What's curious is the fact that Felicity is reaching _for_ the man. _She only does that when she knows someone_.

“What's going on out here?” I ask.

Aaron, Tyler, Paige & Mark look at me.

“Aer, go back in your room,” Mark replies.

“No!” I reply. “Not until my daughter stops screaming.”

“ _Please_ , Aer!”

“ _No!_ ” I reply, walking over. “Not until I have answers!”

The man turns around to face me, & I stop several steps back from him as I recognise him.

I feel woozy, but I force myself to stand & maintain eye contact with him.

“Aer,” Mark says, concerned.

I shake my head. “No.”

He looks down & then up me, taking me in. He smiles, relieved to see that I’m okay.

But I’m not. I’m _far_ from being okay. _I’m seeing things! He’s just a stranger, & I just think that he’s…_

I shake my head as I close my eyes, trying to shake the image from my mind. I look at him again, & my stomach backflips. _I’m not seeing things._

I whisper the one word I can manage to say. The most important word.

“ _Zack?!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is he really Zack? Why was Erin notified that he was dead?


	34. Beginning To Uncover The Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just when things are looking up for Erin, everything comes crashing back down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what brings Zack suddenly to see Erin? And is it really him?

We watch ‘Zack’ hug Erin, who stands there with arms out to the side as she looks shocked. My protectiveness kicks in & I step forward to pull him away. Erin sees & signals for me to stop. I do, but stay prepared to intervene at any moment. ‘Zack’ pulls back.

“Why… why are you here?” Erin asks him.

“He didn’t tell you?”

She looks even more confused. “Who?”

“That lawyer.”

“What lawyer?”

“Uh… Jarrod Rebecchi.”

“I’m going to call him,” I say, reaching for my mobile.

“No, don’t, Mark,” Erin replies. “This _is_ Zack.” She steps closer,  & continues softly, “Just give me a few minutes to find out what’s going on. And then you can go all cop & investigate.”

I sigh, trusting her. I nod. She smiles, before stepping back over to Zack.

“Why did Toadie- uh, Jarrod. We call him Toadie. Long story. Why did he… Just explain everything.”

“I got this call last night from Jarrod Rebecchi,” Zack says. “He was asking me questions, trying to verify who I am. And then he finally told me what had been going on with you.”

“But… but you were in Afghanistan.”

He shakes his head. “They pulled my unit out late last week, & brought us back to the base near Darwin. I was planning on coming down to Adelaide to see you & Felicity. But then I got the call.”

Erin nods. “I… I was told… you-”

“Were dead? Mr Rebecchi told me everything.”

“Wait, Toadie knew about what the text was about _before_ me?” I ask.

Erin holds her hand up to silence me.

“It’s why he tracked me down,” Zack says. “He said he had a feeling that something wasn’t right about it, & wanted to confirm that I was dead… or not dead.”

“So why would they call me & say that you were?”

“I think that’s why he wanted me to come down. So we can find out.”

“And they… they let you come down? So quickly?”

“I was supposed to be going to Adelaide. I was scheduled to fly out at dawn, but I changed my flight to Melbourne instead.”

“I’m going to call Toadie,” I say. “He needs to come in & talk to us.”

Zack frowns. “We can't just go see him at his office?”

Erin shakes her head. “I’m not allowed to leave the hospital.”

“Why?”

She hesitates. She glances at us & then sighs as she looks at Zack again. “I’m… Under suicide watch. For the next few days, I have to stay here.”

****

“Hey, Toadie, thanks for coming,” I greet him as he walks up.

“Hey, Mark. Happy to come chat with you all.”

“Before we head in to the others,” I reply. “Would it be okay if we talked for a few minutes?”

“Sure. What's on your mind?”

“How did you exactly find Zach?”

“Well, when Erin told me about the army informing her about him, I found the timing really odd,” He replies. “I knew it might just be a coincidence, but… It was a feeling that didn't sit right. So I reached out to Nate, knowing he has military contacts.”

I nod.

“You don't believe it's him.”

I sigh. “I don't know what I think,” I reply. “Both Erin & Felicity say it's him, but… I _can't_ shake the feeling that something's not right. Maybe I’m just overly wary given the last few days, but… I just _can't_ trust him.”

He nods. “I understand your concern,” he replies. “I’m sorry that I didn't tell you he was coming. I was expecting he’d check in with me first.”

“It's okay. He was obviously wanting to see that Erin & Felicity are okay.”

He nods. “How did Erin react?”

“Shocked. Relieved, once the shock faded,” I reply. “We're all trying to figure out what's going on. How the army could mistakenly inform her he was dead.”

“Hopefully I can help get those answers.”

I nod. I then gesture to Erin's room, & he follows me over. I open the door, stepping inside & holding it open for Toadie. Zack is sitting on Erin's bed, at the foot, playing with Felicity & her toys. Erin is sitting crossed legged at the head of the bed, smiling at Felicity, but she looks up at me & Toadie as we come in. Paige is sitting in the chair at her bedside, Aaron & Tyler in others by the windows.

“Hey, Erin,” Toadie says. “How are you?”

“Hey Toadie. Better than I was last time we talked.”

Zack puts the toy down & stands. He steps around the bed to Toadie.

“So you're Rebecchi,” Zack says. “It's nice to finally put a face to the name.”

“Same,” Toadie says, extending his hand out. “It's nice to meet you.”

Zack & Toadie shake hands.

“Thank you for calling & telling me what happened,” Zack says.

“No worries. You deserve to know.”

He nods. “Indeed. Like I said to Erin, I’m sorry that she received the phone call that she did.”

“I was actually hoping you’d be able to explain what went on with that.”

"After your call last night, I reached out to my friend who works in the offices. It's part of his job to contact family members to inform them of any officer's life-threatening injury or death,” Zack replies. “Unfortunately he was unable to access our digital records straight away, but he texted me while I was on my flight saying he’d dug around for me. I called him as soon as I could, &… There was no record of contacting Erin.”

I look at Erin. She's shocked.

“But they _called_!” Erin says. “I have the number in my phone's address book. It _was_ them.”

“Do you remember if they said where they were calling from?” Zack asks. “It's protocol during those calls for them to identify the base they're calling from. Darwin is our main base. I’m there when I’m not overseas.”

Erin thinks. “I… I don't remember.”

“Is it possible for the station to trace the call?” Toadie asks me.

“I’m not sure,” I reply. “We might have to contact her phone provider & get information from them. But there's a problem.”

Toadie frowns.

“Mark got himself a suspension today because he refused to go in for his shift,” Erin replies.

“Uh… _What_?” Paige asks.

“My sister is more important right now,” I reply.

“I told you to call Sarge, but you were too stubborn.”

I sigh. “I thought you had agreed to leave it be.”

Erin shrugs. “Can still chastise you.”

“Alright, you can’t do it cause you’re on suspension,” Toadie says. “However, together we can present it to Sarge, & he can give us clearance.”

“Good!” Erin replies.

I press my lips together tightly. “That will be a good talk.”

“He should be more understanding of your situation,” Paige says. “The suspension is ridiculous.”

****

“How do we know that he is this… Zack Freeman?” Sarge asks Toadie & I, as we stand outside the interview room, where Zack sits.

“Erin & Felicity Brennan have both identified him,” Toadie replies.

“So I’m supposed to take the word of a toddler & a woman who is mentally unstable?”

“Erin’s current mental state is due to the _huge_ amount of pressure  & stress she’s been under the last few days,” I reply. “And I don’t appreciate you referring to her like that, when you’ve been a major role in causing it.”

“I’m merely pointing out the facts, Constable.”

“About my family.”

“Which is _exactly_ why you need me to be the unbiased voice in this situation,” Sarge replies. “You are both personally invested in this. You need someone to look at just the facts. Like the fact that this may not be the man he’s claiming to be.”

“That’s part of what we want to find out,” Toadie says. “The phone call that Erin had, to notify her of Zack’s death is questionable. We need to determine the authenticity of that call. And to do that, we need access to Erin’s records, which we cannot get from her phone provider without your assistance. It’s not the sort of thing that we can obtain without the police. If we can uncover the truth about that call, we’ll be able to confirm that Zack is Zack.”

“Well, your argument so far isn’t convincing me so far,” Sarge replies. “You’re basing it on a hunch.”

“Mmm yeah, like you did pushing murder charges on my sister.”

“The evidence supports her being innocent, _however_ , given her confession, I _can’t_ release her from police custody.”

I frown. “ _What_?”

“I’m sorry, Constable. But until we can verify that her confession was under duress, especially given that it was provided voluntarily without police influence, I cannot simply drop the charges,” Sarge replies. “I want to drop them & apologise to you & Erin, however I’m bound by red tape.”

“Finding out the truth about _him_ ,” I reply, pointing to Zack through the window. “Will help you break that red tape. So help us.”

****

I briskly walk through the hospital corridors, tightly holding onto the folder with the information from Erin’s phone provider. I slow down as I approach her room. I open the door, finding that Tyler, Aaron, Paige & Felicity are still there. They all look at me as I close the door.

“ _That’s_ the smile that I love seeing,” Erin says. “You have good news.”

“It’s somewhat good news,” I reply, stepping over to her.

I open the folder, placing it on her lap.

“Your phone provider willingly provided us with all the information that we needed,” I reply, as Erin picks up the top page to read. “It proves that the text & phone call that you received, notifying you that Zack was dead… it _didn’t_ come from the Darwin base.”

She looks up at me, shocked. “ _Seriously?_ ”

I nod. “It wasn’t even from Darwin at all.”

“So where did it come from?” Aaron asks.

“According to their records,” I reply. “They have it listed as originating from here.”

“Here?” Erin asks.

“Melbourne,” I reply. “They weren’t able to determine an exact location. Their system was unable to do so- they believe there may have been a scrambler used.”

“If that’s so,” Tyler says. “How do they know that it was from Melbourne?”

“They were able to determine part of the location. Just the city. Apparently there was some way they can do that. Something technical that was unable to help them break through whatever stopped it from giving a more specific location.”

“So basically someone _was_ messing with me,” Erin says. “Someone _wanted_ to break me.”

I look at her & nod.

She stares at me for a long minute. “You know who. Don’t you?”

I slowly nod. “I have a suspicion.”

She clasps her hands over her mouth & nose, & struggles not to cry. After a minute, she brings her hands forward, so they’re in front of her, her lips pressed against them like she’s praying.

“I think I know too,” She replies. “There’s only _one_ person that would want to break me down the way I have these last few days.”

She drops her hands as she looks up at me. And, for the first time in days, I see the feistiness in her eyes again. That determination, that fighter.

“You catch him,” She says.

I nod.

“Catch who?” Tyler asks.

“Even if it means that you put a bullet in him,” Erin says. “Do _whatever_ it takes to _make_ him pay for this. _Make_ it impossible for him to hurt _anyone_ _ever_ again.”

I nod. “I promise.”

I sit down next to her, wrapping my left arm around her shoulders. She leans against me, her head resting on my shoulder. I kiss her forehead.

“I promise I’m going to make him pay for all of it,” I tell her. “For everything he’s done. Not just to our family, but to everyone.”

“Wanna catch us up, bro?” Tyler asks.

“Dennis Dimato,” Erin replies.

****

**Two days later**

There’s a knock on my hospital door, a pause & then it opens. Mark peers in, & smiles this big, goofy grin that makes me laugh.

“How are you?” he asks, as he comes in.

“Feeling a lot better than the start of the week.”

“That wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with the fact that the charges against you have been dropped so you’re gonna be coming home, is it?”

I smile. “That’s part of it,” I reply. “Getting to sleep with Felicity again is the best part of getting out here.”

He smiles. “I love seeing you this happy.”

“Well, it’s all thanks to you.”

“Just wanting to make sure that my baby sister doesn't end up in jail when she's innocent.”

“You found the truth.”

“Technically Toadie did.”

“He found Zack, but you were the one to convince Sarge to pursue the line of investigation that led to my charges being dropped,” I reply. “You’ve been there for me. You _never_ gave up, even when I completely shut you out. So thank you.”

“I’ll always be there for you, Aer.”

“Don't make me cry,” I say, holding back tears.

He steps forward, enveloping me in a hug. I wrap my arms around him tightly.

“I love you, Aer.”

“I love you too, Markie.”

After a few minutes, we part.

“You ready?”

“Mmmhmmm!” I reply with a nod. “My things are packed, Karl's given me more bandages to get me started for the next few days… And my discharge papers are all signed. So I’m officially a free woman!!” I raise my right arm straight up & my left to the side as I say ‘woman’. “In every sense of the word ‘free’.”

He smiles, chuckling a little. “You're definitely back to your normal self.”

“You betcha!”

He laughs. He then reaches for my bag on the end of my bed.

“Come on,” he says. “Let's go.”

I grab my handbag, put it on & we head out, he wraps his arm around my shoulder as we walk through the corridors.

****

“You know what I’m gonna do when we get inside?” I ask Mark, as I step round to the back of his car.

He shuts the back door & steps round to meet me with my bag.

“What are you going to do?” He asks.

“I’m going to take a nice, long, _uninterrupted_ hot bath.”

He smiles. “Would you like me to run it for you?”

“That would be _perrrfect_!”

“Big brother, at your service!”

“I’ve missed you!” I reply, putting my hands on his cheeks.

This squished his face, by accident, & I smile. I run with it, moving my hands up & down to move his face.

“Stop it,” he says, muffled slightly.

I laugh.

“Erin!” Toadie says.

I drop my hands & turn to see Toadie walking up our driveway.

“Am I… Interrupting?” Toadie asks, waving a document between Mark & I.

“Actually, you were saving me,” Mark replies.

“Good,” He replies. “We need to talk.”

“Oh, this is bad!” I say. “You have a serious face.”

Toadie hesitates. “We should go inside.”

“Good idea,” Mark replies. “Follow us.”

“No,” I reply.

They frown.

“I’ve been through hell pretty much three times this week,” I tell them. “I’m sick of everyone delaying telling me things, tiptoeing around my emotions & coddling me! So if you have something to tell me, just _tell_ me. Right here.”

Toadie looks at Mark.

“Nuh _uh_ ,” I say. “No more looks. Just come out with it, Toadie.”

He sighs, before handing me the document. Frowning, I take it & start to read it. The front page is confusing, so I flip to the second page & read that. Very quickly, my confusion turns to shock. As my jaw drops, I look at Toadie.

“Erin?” Mark asks.

Tears burn my eyes. Mark steps towards me, but I just want to escape. I shove the document into his hands, seeing his confusion as I turn. I run over to the stairs, barely keeping back my tears.

“Erin!” Mark calls as I climb the stairs two at a time.

****

“Erin!” I call out, watching her reach the front door.

She yanks it open & disappears inside. Confused, I look at Toadie.

"What's going on?” I ask.

Toadie presses his lips together tightly. “You should read that.”

I look down at the document & read it. It's a printed out letter. From Zack.

_Dear Mr Rebecchi,_

_I am writing to you because I know you will handle this the best out of all of you who know Erin._

_I am asking you to please pass the attached document on to Erin. Legally, I can't do it myself. As you are a lawyer, you will understand why._

_Please tell her that I’m sorry, but this is the best for everyone._

_Sincerely,_

_Zack Freeman_

I turn to the next page, knowing that's what upset Erin. I don't have to read far to know why. It's a request for full custody of Felicity.

****

I pull the front door open & run through to my room. I grab Felicity's favourite big teddy bear & sink down in front of the closet. I pull my legs up to my chest, bury my face into the teddy’s tummy & let the tears out.

I’ve _just_ got my life back on track.

_And now it's falling apart all over again._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh oh! Poor Erin! Can she convince Zack to drop the custody case? And will Mark be able to finally catch Dimato?


	35. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark, Paige, Aaron & Tyler support Erin as she faces her next fight. Erin gets a new job, & things are looking a little brighter... Or is it?

I hear footsteps in the hallway, & then in my room, before I feel someone sit down beside me. He puts his arm around me & pulls me close. I can tell that it's Mark. He holds me as I continue to cry into the teddy.

Eventually I lift my head & look at him.

“I read the first two pages,” he says, softly.

“Why would he do this?”

“Toadie says he looked through it before he brought it over,” he replies. “He knew you wouldn't cope reading it, so he read through it so he could tell you.” He brushes back a bit of my hair that's fallen into my eye. “According to the papers, he’s requesting full custody because… He's claiming that you're unfit for parenting.”

“Wha-… _what?!_ ”

“Toadie believes that Zack is using the fact that you tried to kill yourself as an excuse to take her from you.”

“But… But… He doesn't even _want_ her! He's _never_ wanted her!”

He nods. “I know, Aer.”

“I can't believe he would do this! After _everything_ I’ve been through, I’m finally getting my life back together,  &…"

He pulls me in to him, holding me tight as I cry again.

****

I’m perched on the edge of the bath, watching as Mark runs a bath for me. He smells one of the bubble bath bottles, scrunching his nose up at a smell he clearly doesn't like & I smile a little. He then smells another, liking this one much better & squeezes some in to the running water that's currently filling the bath.

Once it's filled, he turns off the taps & looks at me.

“I can ask Paige to come sit with you,” he says. “If you want.”

I tilt my head sideways. “Worried that I’m going to drown?”

He sighs. “A little. Yeah.”

“Well, I’m not,” I reply. “I’m not going to let him win. Dying is as bad as signing over her guardianship to him.”

“We’ll find a way to talk him round.”

I nod, letting out a shaky sigh. “I hope so.”

“We will,” he replies. “I promise. Just like I promised to find Dennis Dimato.”

I force a smile.

“Things are going to get better.”

I sigh. “I hope so.”

“It will,” he replies. “But for now… Have your bath. Felicity will be home soon.”

I nod. He steps over, kisses my forehead & then walks out. I don't move until the door clicks shut. I stand & undress. I then take off the exterior bandage, exposing the sealed, waterproof bandage beneath. Karl advised me to do this, & then change them afterwards.

I get in the bath, the hot water so comforting after the troubles of the week. I lean back, resting my head on the wall & relax.

****

“Erin?” Paige’s voice makes me slowly open my eyes.

“Hmmm?” I mumble, struggling to keep my eyes open.

The door slowly opens, Paige peeping around the door to check where I am. I realise I’m still in the bath. She steps in & shuts the door.

“Hey,” She says, stepping over to me. “You’ve been in here a long time. Mark’s a little anxious. I told him you’ll be fine, just relaxing… But I got ordered through.”

“Well, I’m fine,” I reply.

“Yeah, just like I told him you would.”

“What… What time is is?”

“Uh… A few minutes past quarter to six.”

“Oh, wow. I’ve been in here almost an hour. No wonder he’s worried.”

She frowns. “Why would he be worried.”

“He thinks I might try to kill myself again.”

“Why?”

“He didn't tell you?”

She shakes her head. “He just kept pushing for me to come check on you. Has something else happened?”

I sigh. “Yeah,” I reply. “We just got home from the hospital, & Toadie came over.” I hesitate, trying to find the strength to say it. “Zack’s… Filed a case to get full custody of Felicity.”

She gapes. “ _What_?” She crouches beside the bath so we’re at the same level. “I’m so sorry.”

“I just hate him _so_ much,” I reply. “We’ve been through so much,  & Felicity needs me. She needs to have her mother, & he thinks just because I tried killing myself that I’m an unfit mother & wants to pull her away from me.”

“Hey, don't cry,” Paige says. “I know this is the last thing you need, but you have all of us to support you. You're the best mother & Zack knows it. He's just being an idiot.”

“I thought my life was getting back on track.”

“And it is,” she replies. “You know what? Forget about all of that tonight. Lets just have a nice night with our boys & Felicity, & forget about all of the problems. Felicity's out there, playing with Tyler in the lounge. But she wants _you_. So I’m going to head out  & tell your overprotective brother that you're fine, while you get dressed.”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

She smiles. She then stands, moves my towel so I can reach it & walks out. Once the door is shut, I get out & wrap my towel around me before pulling the plug out. I dry off as the bath empties. I grab my dirty clothes & bandages & then head to my bedroom. I close the door behind me & get dressed. I then sit on my bed & change the bandages on my forearms. I pause when I see the exposed scars- still red & not completely healed. More like scabs, with stitches along them. I put clean waterproof bandages on & then wrap clean cloth bandages around my forearms the way they had been at the hospital.

I return to the bathroom, dump the old bandages in the bin & hang up my towel. I stare at myself in the mirror, preparing myself to face my family for the first time back here. And more importantly, face the kitchen & laundry- the place where Eddie died. The spot where my life went to hell.

I sigh & walk out of the bathroom & through to the main living area. I stop in the doorway, watching them all for a minute- Tyler's keeping Felicity entertained in the lounge, Paige is finishing setting the table & Mark & Aaron must be in the kitchen.

Paige sees me & smiles. She then nods her head towards the lounge, a quiet encouragement for me to go to Felicity.

I cross over, planning on just watching her with Tyler, but she sees me as I approach.

“ _Mummmyyyyyyyyy_!” She squeals, walking over to me.

I smile as I crouch down & open my arms to her.

“Hey, my baby!” I reply.

I hold her tight, trying hard to push away the thoughts of having to say goodbye to her for good. I carry her over to the couches, & play with her & Tyler.

A few minutes later, Aaron comes over. He waves at Felicity & then whispers something to Tyler. They then each take one end of the coffee table & move it further towards the TV. I frown.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“What does it look like we’re doing?” Tyler replies.

Paige walks over with placemats & arranges them on the coffee table. Mark comes with plates & cutlery. Paige takes the cutlery & they place them on the placemats.

“Are we eating over here?” I ask.

“Yep,” Paige replies as Tyler & Aaron bring the drinks & cups over. “I thought we might just change things up.”

“And Mark’s fine with it?”

“Not exactly,” Mark replies. “But we’ve been through enough this week, so I’m happy to bend a little.”

“Is it to try & avoid me seeing the laundry?”

Mark & Paige look at each other.

“I’m going to have to see it eventually,” I reply. “It's hard to miss, given it's right off the kitchen.”

“I’ve been thinking of renovating,” Mark says.

“Can you afford to? I mean… With your babies on the way.”

“I have savings,” he replies. “And everyone's going to pay a share.”

"Okay... But in the meantime… I'm going to have to look at it.”

“I know.” He smiles. “But not tonight.”

I give him a sarcastic smile.

“Now sit on the floor. We’re all going to sit around the table.”

I raise my eyebrow. “On the floor, huh? Really driving your OCD crazy tonight!”

“Ha ha,” he replies flatly, as he heads back to the kitchen.

I sit on the floor, crosslegged & Felicity climbs into my lap. The others bring the containers of Chinese take-away over, placing them on the coffee table between the plates. Paige settles to my left, because we’re in front of the couch, with Aaron & Tyler on her left. Mark sits down on the end to my right, with Felicity's food.

****

Felicity's bedtime routine has become so autopilot for me- minus the new addition of saying goodnight to everyone else (which consists of a lot of kisses from Mark), the rest I’ve done so many times before. Bath, toilet, brushing the few teeth she has, a few stories in bed while she has a sippy cup of warm milk (which I’m slowly weening her off by putting less in it). Mark had organised it while I gave Felicity a bath.

With Felicity asleep, I take the cup & press a kiss to her forehead. I tuck her in a bit more & then slip out of the room. It's become such an integral part of my night routine, I tend to work on autopilot. So I don't think much of it as I head into the kitchen to put the cup in the sink.

The others are finishing cleaning up our dinner in the lounge as I turn into the kitchen. I’m halfway to the sink when it catches my eye. The bloodstain on the floor in the doorway to the laundry.

I freeze, eyes focused on the bloodstain. My chest tightens & I can't breathe.

I faintly hear the sippy cup hit the floor, faintly hear Mark call my name. I want to look, to tell him that I’m okay, but… I _can’t_.

He steps beside me, blocking my view of the laundry, & wraps his right arm around me. He slowly walks me round the bench, his left hand on my cheek as we pass the other side of the bench so I don't look right to the laundry. He guides me over to the couch & I faintly hear him tell me to sit. As soon as I sit down, my senses return to normal.

“Are you okay?” Mark says from beside me, gently rubbing my back.

I nod, trying to act strong, but I can't keep it up so I shake my head. Mark pulls me closer & I collapse against him. Aaron sits down on my right & Tyler kneels at our feet. And we’re in a group hug as I cry.

****

I wake up to find Felicity isn't there in bed with me. I bolt up, on the edge of another attack. I push back the covers & get up, crossing to the door & pulling it open. I make my way through to the living area & sigh when I see Mark sitting in the armchair with Felicity in his lap as he reads her a book.

“Hey,” he says as I walk over. “She was crying earlier, & when I looked in, you looked like you were in a deep sleep. So I took her & gave her breakfast.”

“You shouldn't have.”

“You’ve been through a lot. You needed the sleep. I’m happy to help out when I can.”

“Well… I guess it's good practice for later in the year.”

He looks confused & then smiles when he realises what I meant. “Yeah. Plus I get to have some bonding time with my favourite niece!”

He tickles Felicity & she laughs. He then looks at me.

“Let me cook you breakfast.”

I nod. “That would be good, thanks.”

“No worries.”

“Uhh… I’m… I’m going to get dressed first.”

He nods. “We’ll finish this story while we wait. Won't we, Felicity?”

“Ya!” She replies.

I smile, before heading to my room.

****

I’ve just finished breakfast when Aaron comes through the front door.

“Ah, good! You're here,” he says to me.

I frown. “Where else would I be?”

“Out for a walk? Finding a job?” He replies, sitting down at the head of the table.

Mark comes around & gives Felicity to me. He takes my plate & heads into the kitchen to clean up.

“What do you need me for?” I ask.

“You said you work in PR, right?”

“Uh, yeah, sort of.”

“What would you say if I offered you to work with me?”

“I’d say you're getting desperate.”

He smiles, laughing a little. “Seriously, Erin,” he replies. “I want you to come work with me.”

“Pitch to me why you want me.”

He frowns.

“You want me, you should pitch to me,” I explain. “Just because we're related, doesn't mean you get out of doing it the right way. If you're gonna hire people without asking- it's called recruiting, by the way- if you're gonna do it, the least you can do is learn how to do it properly. Starting with pitching why you want them. What makes you interested in having them on your team? Why they should choose _you_ over a rival company? It's similar to how you pitch to your clients, really.”

“See! That's why I need you!” He replies. “You know all this stuff.”

“And having a job will help you keep Felicity,” Mark says as he does the dishes. “It will show them that you can support yourself & Felicity.”

“But going into business with my brother? No offence, Az.”

“None taken,” Aaron replies. “I get it. You're worried that us working together will look like you can't find anywhere better. But you’ve always been a local girl. You’ve always had that passion to help out the local community. Remember how you used to volunteer in Port Lincoln? And I’ve looked at your past clients in Adelaide. The majority of them are local businesses. Small ones who needed a PR boost. And you helped them.” He leans closer. “That's the sort of thing I want to do. I’m almost signed on to another case that I can't manage on my own. Not without knowledge like you have.”

I sigh. “Alright.”

He smiles. “I knew you’d agree.”

“Hey, don't get too cocky.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I roll my eyes. “So what's this new client?”

He hesitates. “Lassiters.”

I look shocked.

“The Quills have been kicked out for insurance fraud-” He looks at Mark & adds, “don't ask for details, I don't have them.” He looks at me. “Somehow, Paul's talked his way back in as CEO & he wants a PR facelift for it.”

“That's surprising,” Mark says, walking over to us. “Paul's the _last_ person I’d suspect to come asking to be your client.”

“His reputation is just as broken as Lassiters is right now,” Aaron says. “He needs outside help.”

I narrow my eyes. “What aren't you telling us?”

Aaron hesitates. “Paul didn't make the decision,” he says. “He told Terese to find someone. She's the one that chose me. Terese said Paul wants a presentation before he signs off on it.”

"Which is why you want me,” I reply. “To help make the presentation the very best it can be.”

He nods. “If we can secure this, & it's a successful project… I’ll be able to gain more clients.”

“Right. Okay… So when do we need to do this by?”

Aaron looks awkward.

I roll my eyes. “How many hours do we have?”

Aaron looks very apologetic. “Two,” he slowly replies.

“That's not much time,” Mark replies.

"I know, but Terese says Paul want to get it this PR thing started ASAP, so she's feeling pressured into finding someone fast,” Aaron explains. “She talked to me & when I said I’m interested, she called Paul… Who set the time.”

“And what were you going to do if I hadn't agreed to be on board?”

“Hoped for the best?”

I sigh. “Okay. Grab a laptop. Lets get started.”

****

“Aaron. Erin. Hi,” Terese says as we walk into the Lassiters reception.

“Hi Terese,” Aaron replies.

“Hi Terese,” I reply. “I’m so sorry about having Felicity with me. I was going to drop her into the community centre for a few hours, but as soon as I approached the front door, she screamed. After all we’ve been through this week, I just don't have the heart to push her into being away from me. Everyone else is working.”

“Well, I don't mind, as long as you can present without her causing too much of a disruption,” Terese replies. “You’ll find that I’m going to be more understanding than Paul will be.”

"That's what I'm worried about,” I reply.

“I’ll take you up to the penthouse,” Terese says. “We’ve converted the lounge into an open planned office, & that's where you’ll be doing the presentation. We’ll see what Paul says when he arrives.”

We go up in the lift, Terese swiping her card to get it up to the penthouse. The doors open, & Terese falters as she steps out- Paul’s already there.

“How did you get in?” She asks, leading us around into the main area.

“I have a card,” Paul says, turning to us. “And what's with the kid?”

“She's not well,” I reply, the lie slipping out before I can stop it.

“So leave her at home.”

“You might be okay with leaving an eighteen month old home alone for several hours, but I’m not,” I reply. “Everyone else is working.”

“That's what we have the childcare group for.”

“Paul, the Brennans have had a really tough week,” Terese says. “You could be more lenient, especially since Erin is willing to help you with this.”

He sighs. "Alright, alright. Let's just get this done.”

****

“Well,” I reply, as Aaron, Felicity & I leave Lassiters. “That was fun.”

“He can be a real sourpuss, can't he?” Aaron replies.

“That's a more PG version of what I was thinking.”

He chuckles.

“Erin! Aaron!” Terese calls from behind us.

We stop & turn around, as she hurries over.

“Firstly, I want to apologise for his attitude towards you having Felicity,” she says.

“To be honest,” I reply. “He's not the worst.”

Aaron raises his eyebrow.

"I know he sent you packing, saying that he would think it through,” Terese says. “However, I talked to him & it really wasn't hard to convince him to hire you both.”

Aaron & I smile.

“That's great!” Aaron says.

Terse nods. “I don't have an issue with you bringing Felicity with you. However, I strongly advise that you make plans for her to be cared for elsewhere when you have meetings with Paul.”

I nod. “I won't bring her again, if I can help it.”

“We can come in tomorrow with more ideas, if you want?” Aaron asks.

“That would be good,” Terese replies. “Come in at noon. I’ll arrange some food for us. Spend some time tonight coming up with some ideas for the new logo. I know Paul is keen to make that a priority.”

“We can do that,” Aaron replies.

“But don't feel pressured into spending too long on it. I know how hard it's been for you this week.”

"We'll do what we can," I reply.

“Good. I’ll arrange for access keys for the penthouse for each of you. That way you can just let yourselves up. I’ll leave them with reception for you to collect.”

“Thank you,” I reply.

“I should be thanking you,” she replies. “You're taking a load off me.”

"We're happy to help. Especially when you were so generous towards us earlier in the week.”

“Oh, don't be silly! That was the least I could do!”

Felicity rests head head on my shoulder, & I feel her sigh.

"I'll let you go," Terese says. "Felicity looks like she needs a nap."

I smile. “I think so.”

We say goodbye & head off towards Aaron's car as Terese heads back to Lassiters.

****

“Wow. Is there anything you can't do?” Tyler asks, peering over my shoulder at the drawing I’m working on as one of our mock ups for Lassiters.

I look at him. “I’m multi-talented,” I reply. “Thought you would have figured that out by now.”

He sarcastically smiles.

“Can I see?” Az asks, walking over having come from a shower.

He looks through the various sketches I’ve done across several pages, finishing with the one I’m working on.

“These are fantastic!” He says.

I smile. “Thanks.”

“I told you this would be good, having you on board.”

“You’ve gotta up your game, Az,” I reply. “It's not going to look good if the worker is outshining the CEO.”

“You’re the co-CEO.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Am I?”

“Mmmhmmm. Didn't you read your contract?”

“You haven't given it to me.”

"Oooo, Az!” Tyler says. “Just got burned!”

Az punches Tyler's arm as the front door opens & Mark & Paige walk in.

“Evening,” Paige says.

“Hey,” I reply. “How was your day?”

“Exhausting,” She replies, coming to sit down across the table from me. “It's going to get worse before I have these two,” she adds, rubbing her bump.

“Well, you don't have to worry about helping with dinner,” Mark says, unpacking grocery bags.

“Yeah. Mum made a spare lasagna at Harold's today, & insisted that we have it,” Paige replies. “Anyway… Mark told me you have a new job!”

“Mmmhmm. Working with Az.”

“Yaaaay!”

“How did it go with Paul?” Mark asks from the kitchen.

“Other than his near tantrum over Felicity being there,” Az replies. “It was really good.”

“So good we have the job,” I reply.

“That's fantastic!” Mark says, coming over. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks,” I reply, smiling.

“Wow, who's are these?” Paige asks, picking up one of my pages.

“Mine.”

Paige gapes at me.

“Why is it such a shock that I can draw?”

“It's just… Surprising.”

****

**The next afternoon**

“Hey,” Piper says.

I turn from the car engine, & smile as she walks over to me. She grips my shirt with both hands, pushing up on her tip toes to press her lips against mine.

“Hey,” I reply, claiming her lips with mine.

"How's things?” She asks after our long kiss.

“Good,” I reply. “Catching up on the backlog from the last couple of days. How was school?”

“Oh, the usual,” She replies. “How long do you reckon you’ll be till you finish for today?”

“Hmmmm… Not sure.”

“Can I sit here & wait?” She asks. “I can go through your books, if you want.”

“If you want, go for it,” I reply. “But having you here is good enough for me.”

She smiles, before drawing me in for another kiss.

****

I walk in to the community centre, ready to collect Felicity & then walk home. I catch the eye of one worker & smile. Her shocked face as she looks at me makes my chest tighten.

I step further into the space, & scan the area for Felicity.

_But she's not there_.

The worker approaches me slowly, wary of how I’ll react.

“Where…” I ask, as calmly as possible. “Where's my daughter?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where's Felicity? Will Mark be able to help find her before something bad happens?


	36. I've Had Too Many Knives Thrown At My Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin struggles to not fall apart as she waits for Mark to find her daughter. But just when they think there's a breakthrough, there's another shock twist... Meanwhile, Tyler has a cheeky plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some heartbreaking moments, but balanced by one that I hope is hilarious. Thanks to my wonderful Twitter friends- 3 gave me ideas for two separate scenes, and one just showers me with feedback. Not that she'll ever sees this... I email her the chapters in advance. Anyway, ENJOY! :)

Aaron pulls up outside the community centre as I briskly walk up from the station. I meet him at the door, holding it open for him.

“HOW COULD YOU LET SOMEONE JUST WALK OUT WITH A KID THAT ISN’T THEIRS?” Erin shouts as we enter.

She's standing in the middle room of the centre with a childcare worker, who looks terrified. I hurry over to them, Aaron close behind.

“Hey, hey, hey, Aer,” I say, placing my hand on her shoulder.

“Mark!” She says, throwing her arms around me.

I wrap my arms around her. The worker takes this opportunity to go back to the children.

“They say some guy came & picked her up, but they won't tell me anything else!” She says.

“Okay, shhhh,” I reply. “It's going to be alright.”

She pushes me away. “It's _not_ alright! My baby girl is missing!”

I place my hands on her upper arms. “I know, Aer,” I reply. “I need you to calm down a bit, okay? You're scaring the staff, & I need to talk to them to find out who took her, okay?”

She hesitates, trying to breathe & not cry. She then nods.

“Good,” I reply. “I want you to go with Aaron into the front room, get a drink of water, & wait for me.”

“Sit with me.”

“I would, but I need to talk to the staff, remember?”

She struggles not to cry. I pull her in for another hug, holding her against me until she calms down again. I kiss her head before guiding her towards Aaron. He puts his right arm around her. I watch as they head back into the main room, before I turn & head into the back room where the childcare is.

****

Aaron sits down with me, handing me a tissue as he holds a plastic cup of water. I wipe tears from my face & then he hands me the cup.

“Thanks,” I say, taking it.

“You're welcome,” he replies, as I take a sip. “Mark will find out what happened.”

“I know, it's just… I thought we’d moved past all the bad things this week!”

He nods. “We’ll have her back in no time.”

“She should be here.”

“I know.”

It hits me that there's only _one_ person that Felicity would willingly go with outside my brothers  & Paige- who would tell me if they’ve picked her up. Only _one_ who could talk the staff into letting her leave.

I stand up, placing the cup down. I head further into the centre.

“Erin!” Aaron says.

Mark hears & looks. He puts his hand out to stop me, but I ignore him.

“If you saw his face again, would you recognise him?” I ask the worker.

“Uhhh, sure,” she replies.

I get my mobile out & flick through my photos until I find one of Zack.

“Is this him?” I ask, showing her the photo. “Is this the man who took Felicity?”

She stares at it for a long moment. And then nods.

I cover my mouth, stifling the distressed cry. Mark puts an arm around me.

“Thank you for your help,” he tells her. “If you remember anything else, please call the station.”

“Of course,” she says. “I am truly sorry for the mistake we made.”

“It's okay.”

He turns me around, arm still around me & guides me towards the front door. Aaron holds the door open for us.

“I want you to put out whatever you have to put out to get his face out there,” she says. “I want his face on an alert list or whatever! He's got her, & I know he's gonna try & leave the state. So you _have_ to get them on the lookout for him, okay? He _has_ to be stopped!”

“Aer,” I say, taking hold of her arms & turning her to face me. “I need you to keep it together, okay? I know you're worried, so am I. But you're not going to do yourself any good working yourself into a hysterical fit. I’m going to find her.”

She nods.

“Seeing you this distressed makes me want to stay with you,” I tell her. “But I can't, because I need to find her.”

She nods again.

“I need you to stay strong, Aer,” I tell her. “I need you to not fall apart so I can find her. I’m going to do whatever it takes to bring her home.”

She nods again. “I know you will.”

I pull her into a hug, holding her tightly.

“You should go home with Az.”

She pulls back, looking at me in disbelief. “ _No_!”

“Erin,” I reply, softly.

“No. I’m _not_ going to go sit at home, slowly going out of my mind, wondering what's happening to my baby!”

“I promise I’ll keep you updated.”

She shakes her head. “You _can't_ make me go home,” She replies. “I need to be there, at the station with you. I don't know if I can keep it together if I’m not near you.”

I sigh, knowing I won't be able to change her mind. “Alright,” I reply. “But you stay out of our way. Stay with Aaron, & let us do our work. I’ll update you when I can.”

She nods. I kiss her forehead. I put an arm around her as Aaron steps to her right. We head off towards the station.

****

Waiting is the hardest thing. I’m sitting in the waiting area of the station, struggling not to fall apart in tears as I watch Mark lead a team of officers in the search for Felicity. Aaron stays with me the whole time, his arm around me.

Mark has my phone, so they can access the photos of Zack & Felicity. But also monitor my calls in case Zack has the twisted thought to call me.

I pray that she's okay. I know he wouldn't hurt her. Not physically. But she's spent very little time with him. Up until this week, she's only ever been with him via Skype. So being alone with him would be terrifying. No doubt he told her & the childcare staff that he was taking her to meet up with me.

All I can picture is here screaming & crying for me. What lies will he be telling her, what empty promises is he making to calm her down? Where will he take her?

****

I lift my head at the sound of the roller door being pulled down. Tyler locks it from the inside.

“Are you finished?” I ask, as he walks over to me.

“For now,” he replies, stepping round the desk to stand beside my chair. “Stand up.”

Frowning, I stand, pushing my chair back & turn to face him. He cups my face with both hands, & I tilt my head up slightly as he brings his down, pressing his lips against mine for a long kiss.

“I know we haven't… Slept together since Brodie,” he says. “And if you're not ready, then that's fine. But I want you.”

“I want you too.”

He smiles. “Good.”

He leans in to kiss me again, but I push his chest, keeping him at bay.

“ _Here_?” I ask, raising my eyebrow.

He nods. “This is the only place we’ll be alone,” he replies. “Erin's bound to be home, & I really don't want to take my chances at yours. Terese could come home, &… I’d hate to see her react if she found out we’d snuck home to have a bit of afternoon delight.”

“Wow. How much time have you spent thinking about this?”

“Longer than I wanna admit,” he replies. “Plus… I think it would be pretty hot to make love to you in your school uniform.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Got a thing for schoolgirls?”

“I’m crazy in love with you,” he replies, before kissing me again.

We break apart & he moves things around on his desk, clearing space in the middle.

“Take your jacket off,” he says, still clearing the desk.

I take it off, draping it over the chair.

“Sit,” he says, pointing to the desk.

I sit on it, legs dangling off the side. He steps between my legs, places both hands on my hips & pulls me forward, closer to the edge. He pushes my skirt up slowly, fingers brushing my thighs. He rubs his fingers on his right hand over my undies, making me moan. He claims my lips in another kiss, suffocating my moans as he keeps rubbing me.

I find myself reaching for his belt as we kiss, his hand still rubbing me as I unbuckle his belt. I undo his jeans, & push them & his boxers down. He pushes my undies aside, holding them by my right thigh. He slips his left hand between us, covering my opening. He then pushes his middle finger inside, & I gasp into his mouth. He wiggles his finger, making me wet, before he pulls it out & pushes his cock inside.

He thrusts, pulling me closer each time. I wrap my arms around his neck, panting as our tongues clash. I grind my hips every time they meet his, making him moan & tighten his hold on my hips, his fingers digging into my skin.

Just as we get a steady rhythm, his mobile buzzes with an incoming call. We stop & he checks it. He sighs, before hitting the reject button.

“Aren't you gonna answer?” I ask.

“Nope,” he replies, dropping his mobile onto a pile of paperwork to my right. “Not when we’re like this.”

“But what if it's impor-”

He thrust into me, making me gasp. He holds my hips in place, keeping himself pressed deep in me. He leans forward, kissing my neck before lightly nipping. I grind my hips, & then rock them back & forth, encouraging him to thrust again.

He thrusts & I arch my back, giving in to the pleasure. I support my upper body with my arms, hands splayed on the desk behind me, as I tilt my head back. He growls, upset that he can't reach my neck. So he rubs my clit, making me gasp.

“Tyler?” Aaron calls from outside.

Tyler places his hand over my mouth to quiet my moans, slowing his thrusts a little.

“Tyler?” Aaron calls, as the side door opens.

Tyler uses the split second we have to pull my skirt down with both hands, before Aaron comes into view.

“ _There_ you are!” Aaron says as he walks beside a car. “Why didn't you answer when- _Woah_! Oh! _Oh_!”

He stops & turns around, putting his back towards us.

“What do you want, bro?” Tyler asks.

“Can you please not be in that position?” Aaron asks. “I’d rather not have this conversation when you're like that.” He brings his hands up to his face. “I’d rather _not_ be here right now… This is _soooo_ awkward!”

Tyler steps back & I bite my lip to stop the involuntary moan as he pulls out of me. He pulls his boxers & jeans up, stepping to my right to allow me to stand as he zips his jeans up. I pull my skirt down a little further as he does his belt up. Tyler looks at me, before looking at Aaron.

“You can turn around now,” Tyler says.

“Piper?”

“You're fine to, Aaron,” I reply. “Sorry.”

Aaron turns around. “Just be glad it was me & not Mark. He’d freak if he saw you two… Doing it in such a… Dirty place.” He rubs his face. “I personally wish I hadn't seen that. There's some things a brother should _never_ see.”

“Sorry, bro,” Tyler replies.

“Just don't do it again,” Aaron replies. “Or at least lock _both_ doors!”

“Yep, gotcha. Won't happen again,” Tyler replies. “What did you want?”

“Wanted to find out why you weren't answering your phone… Which I now know.”

“There's an urgency to it, isn't there? Why else would you come?”

Aaron nods. “Felicity’s been kidnapped.”

“ _What?!_ ” Tyler & I say.

“Mark’s already onto it, & they even have confirmation of who took her from the childcare,” Aaron says. “But Erin’s barely keeping together while she waits at the station & I think it would be best that you're there too.”

Tyler opens his mouth.

“Before you say you're busy, save it,” Aaron interrupts. “It's obvious that you have the time.”

“Actually, I was gonna say wait outside for a minute,” Tyler replies.

Aaron nods, before heading out. Tyler looks at me.

“Massively awkward conversation,” Tyler says. “ _Never_ gonna live that one down.”

“Yeeeah,” I reply.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don't be.”

“I should've remembered to lock that one.”

“At least it wasn't a client.”

“Yeah, thankfully clients don't use that little hatch door,” he says. “But I’m sorry that my brother saw you like that.”

“To be honest, I don't mind that it was Aaron,” I reply. “Better than Mark or either of my parents.”

“Ohhh definitely better than your parents,” he replies. “Brad would have killed me.”

“Yep,” I reply, nodding. “Anyway… I should grab my things & we should go.”

“ _We_?” He replies, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” I reply. “I’m gonna come with you. Your family is my family.”

He smiles, before leaning down & kissing me. I push him away.

“Don't,” I reply, hands on his chest. “I’m going to want to keep going.”

He smirks, but then drops his head. “You're right.”

I grab my jacket & bag, putting one strap on my shoulder as Tyler grabs his mobile & keys. We cross to the door, Tyler letting me go out first. He locks up & we walk around to the front. Aaron's waiting out by his car. He looks at Tyler & then tilts his head towards the van.

“I guess we’re banished to my van,” Tyler says, as Aaron gets into his car.

“Mmmm,” I reply.

“I don't blame him after our little show in there,” Tyler replies as we cross to his van.

He unlocks it. I open the passenger door, dumping my bag on the floor before climbing in as Tyler walks around the front to the driver's side. He gets in as I’m doing up my seatbelt & Aaron turns his engine on. Tyler pauses as he’s doing up his seatbelt & watches as Aaron drives off.

****

Aaron returns with Tyler & Piper in tow, & I notice the awkwardness from Aaron as he walks briskly ahead of the other two. I frown as first Aaron & then Tyler & Piper all sit down without a word- Aaron to my left, the other two to my right.

“What's up with you three?” I ask.

“Nothing,” Aaron replies.

I narrow my eyes, trying to figure out what he's hiding.

“Don't worry about it,” Aaron says.

I open my mouth, wanting to know more, but I know he won't so I sigh & turn my attention to looking through to the back room. That's where Mark is, discussing the case with other officers that are working on it.

The reception phone rings for the hundredth time & another officer answers. I notice in the corner of my eye as he puts the call on hold & then steps over to the doorway through.

“Constable Brennan,” he says.

Mark turns around. “Yes?”

“They're on line one,” the officer replies.

“Put it through to my desk.”

“Already have.”

I watch Mark hurry over to his desk, quickly picking up his desk phone. There's too much noise from other parts of the station for me to hear him, but I do see him look relieved at one point so my hopes of a breakthrough rise.

He hangs up & beckons his team over. He speaks to them for a minute, pointing at several of them who nod. Two of the four head out the front door, while two more wait for him. Mark puts on his vest & thigh holsters, & I straighten up. He leads the officers into reception, pointing for them to head outside. He watches them go before stepping towards me. I quickly stand.

“I have to go, so I’m going to make this quick,” he says. “That was Melbourne Airport. Security has identified him going through security there-”

I gasp.

“They didn't want to raise too much suspicion, so they let him go & they’ve been tailing him to his flight's gate,” Mark continues. “They're going to monitor him & detain him if his flight starts to board before we get there, which is why I have to go.”

“Let me go with you.”

He shakes his head.

“Mark. _Please_! I want to be there for Felicity.”

He falters slightly when I say Felicity.

“Mark?”

He sighs. “They're unsure if he's travelling with a small child.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Brief version- he has two tickets, & is carrying something that's the size of a child Felicity's age, but there's a blanket over it & he told the security team that she's sleeping & they weren't able to lift it. Seems weird that they’d let him go, but he cleared the metal detector so they didn't think it might be a bomb & they're watching him anyway, they won't let him on the flight.”

I shake, struggling to keep back tears.

“Trust me, if he has Felicity, I’ll make sure that she's okay,” Mark replies, squeezing my arms. “That's why I’m taking two squad cars. But I really have to go. I’ll explain everything in more detail when I get back, okay?”

I nod. He kisses my forehead & then turns to leave. I watch him rush out the door. Aaron & Tyler stand & hug me.

****

Paige arrived shortly after, having come from her shift at Harold’s. When it was clear I was hyperventilating, she guided me outside for some fresh air, sitting me down under the statue. The others followed us outside, & we’ve been waiting there ever since.

I spot two squad cards drive into the carpark & I stand up. It’s an anxious wait, but soon enough two officers escort Zack through the greenery towards the station. The other two officers follow a few beats later, Mark close behind them. Initially the other officers block my view of Mark, but soon enough I can see him clearly & my chest tightens as I see that he's not carrying Felicity.

In seconds I’m running over to Zack, landing a hard punch against his cheek. The officers struggle to hold me back as well as hold him.

“WHERE IS SHE?” I scream.

Mark’s arms wrap around me, pinning my arms to my side & I struggle to get free.

“Get him inside!” Mark barks at the officers.

They nod & hurry him past me. I struggle to break free, but Mark’s holding me tight.

"Calm down, Aer," he whispers into my ear, as Zack is taken inside the station.

“I _won't_ calm down!” I reply, still fighting him. “Where's Felicity?”

“I’ll explain, but not until you calm down.”

I stop struggling & he holds me for a few more seconds to make sure, before relaxing his arms. He turns me around to face him.

"She wasn't with him.”

 _I can't breathe!_ He places his hands on my cheeks, cupping my face  & forcing me to stay focused on him.

“He refused to explain it, so we brought him back here,” Mark says. “I’m going to go talk to him now. I’m going to get to the bottom off this, but I need you to stay with the others.”

I nod. He looks over to Aaron & Tyler, & tilts his head towards me. Mark turns his attention back on me, giving me a smile. He lets go as Tyler steps beside me. I sway, feeling dizzy, & both of them grab me. They walk me over to the statue, sitting me down. Tyler & Aaron sit either side of me, & Mark squats in front of me, holding my hand while Piper disappears into Harold's. She returns with a bottle of water, which Mark takes & then pushes into my hands.

“Drink,” he says, undoing the cap.

I take a small sip. He smiles.

“Make sure she drinks more,” he says to Tyler & Aaron as he stands. “I need to get inside.”

I watch as he turns & walks towards the station, not taking my eyes off him until he disappears inside & the door shuts.

****

“How's Erin?” Zack asks as I step into the Interrogation room & close the door.

"A mess thanks to you," I reply, taking a seat next to my colleague. “You better start explaining yourself.”

“The day after I arrived in Erinsborough, I received a call,” he says. “They didn't say who they were, just that they knew who I was, that I had a daughter, & if I wanted to see her stay alive, then I needed to do what they told me.”

"Why didn't you report the call?” I ask. “You’ve known all this time that I’m a police officer.”

He nods. “I wanted to,” he replies. “But they threatened to kill Felicity if I did. They sent me photos of her. It was clear someone was following Erin. And I know, I should have warned Erin, but I knew she would alert you & I feared they would attack Felicity.”

“What did they want you to do?”

“I assume you know about the custody request.”

I clench my jaw. “I was with Erin when she found out about it. We’d just arrived back home after the hospital.”

“I don't want to take Felicity from Erin,” he replies. “She's better off with her mother than she will ever be with me. But they demanded it.”

“And taking her today?”

He hesitates. “That was all me.”

"Why?" I ask. "Surely you knew how much the custody request was stressing Erin out. Why would you think it was okay to take Felicity without telling Erin? Don't you realise that makes you look like you were doing a runner?”

“I know, & I’m sorry for that!” He replies. “But I couldn't explain to her the truth, for the same reasons as I couldn't the other day. I was scared for Felicity, & my instincts told me to take her & get her into the army base. They can't get her there. I planned on calling Erin once I was there, & explaining _everything_.”

“You said you believe there was someone following Erin. Did you think you could take Felicity without them noticing?”

“I thought I could get away before they could catch me.”

“So you had Felicity. But when we picked you up, she wasn't with you. So… Where is she?”

“I don't know.”

I sigh, glaring at him.

“Honestly, Mark, I don't know,” he replies. “I had her, parked in the car park at the airport & was about to get her out of the back, when I was attacked. Someone hit me from behind. When I woke up, they’d put me in the car. Felicity was gone, a doll in her place. I knew it was them, because I got a text from a blocked number saying so. It's still on my mobile.”

My colleague passes the evidence bag with Zack’s mobile. I place it between Zack & myself, & he unlocks it through the bag. I pull it over to me, & check the messages. It opens in the thread- blocked number but the message is there.

_You shouldn't have tried to run. She's mine now._

I pass it to my colleague & look at Zack.

“For the record, Zack's phone confirms the text,” I say. “It says, & I quote, ‘You shouldn't have tried to run. She's mine now’. The number has been blocked.”

“Believe me now?”

“Why did you still try to get on the flight?”

“I knew they would be monitoring me,” he replies. “The text came through just after I woke. It's clear they have a way of watching me. I was afraid of what they’d do if I called you. I knew Erin would have discovered that Felicity wasn't at the centre, & that you’d know too. I figured, given the custody request, you’d alert the airport & that authorities would be watching for me. So I knew that was the best way to draw your attention but not alert whoever was watching me to it.”

“And the doll?”

“Taking it was stupid, I know. But it was the only way to cover myself. I was scared about them watching me.”

“Do you know who it is?”

Zack sits back & crosses his arms. “And why would I keep giving you information? You clearly don't believe me.”

“I’m concerned about the safety of Felicity,” I reply. “So should you. Which is why you need to keep telling me everything you know.”

He shakes his head. I clench my jaw.

****

“Erin,” Mark calls.

I look towards the station, seeing him walking over. He seems agitated. I stand & meet him partway over.

"What's going on?” I ask.

“Zack’s explained some of the story, but he's holding back crucial information.”

“What? Why?”

He sighs. “I don't know. Maybe to cover his own ass?”

“What do you know so far?”

“He's been threatened by someone, we’re not sure who, but they threatened to kill Felicity in order to get him to comply.”

I gasp, covering my hand with one hand. Mark holds my upper arms.

“He's admitted they forced him into the custody request, that he would never want to take her away from you, but they put him in a position where he had no choice,” he says. “He couldn't tell either of us, for fear that they’d do something to Felicity.”

“And… Today?”

“He was trying to get Felicity out of danger,” he replies. “He says he planned on taking her to Darwin, to the army base where whoever is threatening her can't get her. And then he would call you.”

“In the mean time I lose my mind, worried sick!”

He nods. “I know. I’ve already told him.”

“Do you believe him?”

He hesitates. “There's a text on his mobile that supports his story as to where Felicity is right now, & we’ve requested his phone records to verify the calls.”

“Where is she?”

“He says he was attacked at the airport carpark,” he says. “He was knocked unconscious & when he woke… She was gone. All he has is the text.”

"But you say he’s holding something back?”

He sighs. “I have a gut feeling that he knows who has her,” he says. “He just refuses to tell me. He thinks I don't believe him enough.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I’ve talked to Sarge about an idea I have.”

“And?”

“It's a very unusual tactic, completely off book.”

“Just tell me, Mark!”

“I want you to be in there with him,” he says. “Maybe he’ll open up to you.”

“Is that a good idea?” Tyler asks, stepping over. “I mean, he’s done all of this. You sure you want to leave her alone in the same room as him? She might kill the guy.”

“I’ll kill him _after_ I get Felicity back.”

****

I sigh, fed up with the silence. I’ve been sitting in with Zack for a while. He hasn't said a word to me. Mark had shown me in, using me to distract Zack so he could turn on the recorder again. Mark knew it would be good to have our conversation recorded, but felt like Zack wouldn't be honest if he knew it was being recorded.

“You need to tell them everything,” I say.

"I have."

I shake my head. “You're hiding something.”

He leans forward. “I’m not.”

I get up & pace. I then step back over to the table, place both hands on it & lean in close to him.

“You want to ensure Felicity is safe?” I ask. “There's _one_ way you can do that. Tell us what you're hiding.”

“Honestly, Erin. I'm _not_ hiding anything from you or the cops! I care about our daughter.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Where was this care two years & three months ago, when I told you I was pregnant?” I ask. “Where were you when I felt her kick for the first time? When I spent thirteen hours in labour, screaming from the pain, all alone? When she crawled for the first time? When she walked for the first time? When she said her first word? You’ve _never_ shown much care for her. You _never_ wanted her.”

“I sent you money.”

I scoff. “More like threw it at me. You made me feel like we were _nothing_ to you. You chose to put the army before us. So why should I believe you when you say that you care for her, now that some stranger has her? When _you're_ the reason that she's even _there_?!”

“When you told me you were pregnant, I… I wasn't ready for kids,” he says. “I was already training in the army, & I wasn't ready to settle down with a family. You’ve let me stay in her life, which is more than I deserved given how badly I treated you. Yes, I haven't been there the way you wanted me to. Yes, I’ve missed those big milestones so far. But even though I’m not there every single day to see her grow, it _doesn't_ mean that I _don't_ care for her.”

He reaches out & places his left hand on top of my right. I pull mine back, standing up & crossing my arms.

"Do you know how stressful it's been this afternoon?” I ask. “Knowing that she's out there with you? She _barely_ knows you. Up until this week, you’ve been just a face in photos  & a handful of Skype calls. So it would be distressing enough for her to be with you without me. And now I find out that she's been taken, & _all_ I can think of is how _terrified_ she is!”

“I’m scared for her too.”

I shake my head.

“You can think of me as the enemy if you want, Erin,” he says. “But _don't_ use that to claim that I _don't_ care about my own flesh  & blood. I may not be there all the time, but I’m still her father & I still care about her.”

“So _prove_ it, Zack! _Help_ me get her back!”

“I’ve told you _everything_ that I remember!”

I shake my head, fighting tears. “Why don't I believe you?”

“You tell me.”

"Surely there's _something_ else,” I say, placing my hands on the table  & leaning over. “Even if it's a small thing.”

He sighs. He then frowns, thinking hard. “When they knocked me out at the carpark… I wasn't completely out when they moved me into the backseat.”

“Yes! Good. Keep going.”

“Felicity… She was crying. Screaming.”

My chest tightens. “My poor baby.”

“There was this man… Who opened the door… The other side.”

“Okay. What did he look like?”

“Uh…” He closes his eyes, brow furrowed as he thinks hard. “Bald. Slightly scruffy beard. Uh… I’d say older than us. Was wearing an expensive looking suit.” He looks at me. “I can't recall any more of what he was like.”

“That's okay, Zack. It's a good start,” I reply with a reassuring smile. “Mark can look through the security footage for him.”

“I… I think there was more than just him.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I… I remember several voices.”

“Okay. Anything you remember? Any words you remember hearing?”

He shakes his head. “It was in a different language,” he says. “Either Italian or Greek. I get the two confused.”

“It's okay. What about names? Surely they said each others’ names?”

He thinks. “The bald man talked to Felicity in English,” he says. “I… I don't remember anything else. I think that's when I passed out.”

I sigh, hanging my head. _Sooo close, yet so far!_

"Although..."

I look up at him. “Yes?”

“I do vaguely remember one man said a name,” he says. “Just as I passed out.”

“Close your eyes for me.”

He frowns. “Why?”

“I’m going to talk you through a relaxation method. It's worth trying in order to shake those memories to the surface.”

He nods, & then closes his eyes.

“Sit back, & take three deep breaths,” I say. “Slowly inhale, hold, slowly exhale.”

He sits back in his chair, & I watch him take three deep breaths.

“Think about being in the car, that moment when the man said the name,” I tell him. “Focus on just that, & my voice. Can you understand what he's saying?”

He’s silent for an excruciatingly long minute. I let him have time to think, knowing pushing him will risk him to be frustrated & he won't find the word.

After several minutes, he sighs as he shakes his head & open his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

“Try again.”

“I _can't_!” He snaps, hitting the table with both his hands.

“Take a moment to think of this image then,” I reply, leaning in close to him. “Felicity sitting in a room, crying & _screaming_ for me. Maybe even calling out for you. She's _terrified_ & _distraught_. And the best chance we have of finding her is for you to remember that name. So _please_ try again.”

He stares at me. He then sits back & relaxes, closing his eyes.

"Tomato," he says.

I frown. “What?”

He frowns. “No… That's not right,” He says. “Something similar to that…”

I shake my head. I turn away, struggling to keep back tears. I walk across the room as I slide my hands into the hair on the top of my head & hold my hands there. I close my eyes. Any chance of us finding her soon is slipping through our hands. _And there’s nothing I can do to stop it._

"Dimato.”

I freeze, my stomach backflipping. I slowly turn around as I drop my hands.

“ _What?_ ”

He opens his eyes & looks at me. “That's the name.”

I cross back to the table, once again putting my hands on the table. “Are you _sure_?”

He nods.

“You have to be _absolutely_ positive.”

“Erin, I promise you that's what I heard,” he says. “One of the men called the bald guy that.”

Feeling my chest tightening from panic, I push aside the bad thoughts threatening to consume my mind.

"Erin?” Zack asks, but it's faint as I step back.

I turn, reaching the door in one stride & yank it open. I run out, crashing into Mark as I reach reception. He steps back to regain balance, holding my arms tightly.

"Aer?" He asks, looking concerned.

I try to hold back the tears, but I can’t.

"Hey, shhh," he says. "Tell me what's wrong?”

I struggle to get the words out. “Felicity… Felicity's been taken… He’s got her.”

“Who has her?”

I grip his shirt, desperate for something to hold on to. Something to ground me.

“Aer,” he says, “Look at me.”

I look him in the eyes.

“Take a deep breath,” he says. “And tell me.”

I take a few shaky breaths. And then the word falls out of my mouth.

“Dimato.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can they save Felicity? What cost will it take? And will they ever have a happy ending?


	37. The Lioness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin is willing to risk her life to save Felicity. How far is she willing to go? What will it cost her? And will Mark be able to protect Erin & Felicity?

I follow Mark back into the interrogation room. He holds the door open for me, closing it behind me. He then places a piece of paper down on the table in front of Zack. Six mugshots, each numbered. Zack looks at them.

“That one,” he says, tapping number five.

“Think carefully,” Mark replies.

Zack stares at the photos, studying each of them. His eyes keep returning to number five.

"That's definitely him,” Zack says, pointing to number five. “He has a scruffy beard now, but… That's definitely him.”

I cover my face, fighting back tears.

“For the record,” Mark says. “Zack Freeman has positively identified Dennis Dimato from a mugshot line-up. Dimato has kidnapped Felicity Brennan.”

Mark steps over, wrapping his arm around me. I drop my hands, wrapping my arms around him.

"I'm sorry, Erin,” Zack says.

I let go of Mark, stepping forward & slamming my hands on the desk, making Zack jump.

“She was _safe_ until you took her!” I shout. “And now she's in the hands of the _nastiest_ man, hell bent on _destroying_ my family. I will _never_ , _ever_ forgive you for this!”

Mark pulls me back before I can do anything else. Zack's phone beeps with a message. We all frown. Mark steps over, picking up the evidence bag. He turns the screen on. I peer at it.

_Come find me, Constable Brennan._

“How… How does he…?” I ask.

Another message appears- a photo. Mark takes the phone out of the bag & places it in front of Zack. Zack unlocks it, quickly disabling the passcode.

“So you don't have to keep handing it to me to unlock it,” Zack says, sliding it back over to Mark.

Mark picks it up & looks at the photo. I try to look, but he turns it so I can't see. I can tell from his face that it's of Felicity. I grip the chair in front of me for support, forcing back the image in my mind of Felicity dead.

And then Zack's phone rings. Mark places the phone on the table & answers, putting the call on speaker.

“You’ve been awfully quiet, Erin,” A man’s voice comes through the phone. Going off Mark’s jaw clench, I know it's Dimato. “I thought you’d be far more vocal after seeing your little one’s face. Or has your cop brother denied you the chance to see her one last time?”

“Just let her go!” I reply.

“And why would I do that?” He asks. “Why would I return to you the one thing you cherish most, when you killed my nephew?”

“Is that why you're doing this?” I ask. “Because you think that I killed Eddie?”

“I don't think. I _know_ you did.”

“He killed himself. All the evidence proves that,” I reply, leaning in towards the table. “Your nephew was stupid enough to kill himself.”

Mark lightly hits my arm. I look at him & he glares as he shakes his head.

“And I’m supposed to believe the colleagues of your brother?” Dimato asks.

“Yes.”

Dimato laughs. “Maybe I should keep you on the line so you can hear her scream for you.”

I snatch up Zack’s phone, stepping away from Mark before he can take it from me.

“Listen here, Dimato,” I snarl into it, holding it close to my face. “You hurt her in _any_ way,  & I _will_ ensure that you get buried six feet under. Maybe you’ll still be alive, so you can slowly suffocate while surrounded by darkness as black as your heart.”

Dimato laughs. “Speaking like a true murderer, Erin,” he says. “I wonder what your by-the-book brother has to say about that?”

Mark comes over, & opens his mouth, but I get in first.

“Just give me my daughter back!”

"You want her back, you better get started finding where we are.”

“Or, we talk,” I reply. “Face. To. Face.”

Mark’s eyes widen. “No,” he mouths.

“And how do I know that you're not luring me into a trap?”

“You get to pick the place,” I reply, watching as Mark tries to be angry quietly. “And I’ll come alone.”

Mark runs a hand down his face.

Dimato stays silent.

“Do we have a deal?” I ask.

“If it turns out that you're lying, I won't hesitate to put her down.”

“The police don't even know this is happening. I’m talking to you on my own. Mark’s out of the room.”

“Then you’ll keep it from him,” Dimato replies. “I’ll text Mr Freeman’s phone the details shortly.”

“Good.”

He hangs up. Mark looks furious. He opens his mouth but I hold a hand up to silence him.

“The phone is tapped,” I mouth.

He nods, & I lower my hand. He snatches the mobile from me, puts it back into the evidence bag & places it on the table. He grabs my arm, pushes me out of the room, shuts the door behind us & then escorts me into the other interrogation room.

“What the _hell?!_ ” He says.

“ _Hey_!” I reply. “Before you jump down me for that, hear me out, okay?”

He sighs, crossing his arms as he scowls.

“We set up a perimeter around wherever he picks,” I say. “At a distance where he won't see you, but one that blocks all his exits- both road & by foot.”

“What about you?” He asks. “What about Felicity?”

“I’ll go in-”

He sighs, shaking his head.

“But you’ll be tailing me, okay?” I reply. “You’ll be there, hidden but watching the whole thing. You’ll have our backs.”

"It's a _very_ dangerous plan.”

“And the _only_ way we have of getting my daughter back, Mark! I’m _not_ going to leave her with him overnight!”

“And what happens if he catches on?” He asks. “What happens if you _don't_ have Felicity back,  & he opens fire? What if Felicity or you get hit?”

“So get an ambulance on the perimeter!”

He shakes his head.

“Mark, I’m _not_ asking for your permission,” I add. “I’m asking you to _help_ me.”

“And I won't.”

“Fine. I’ll go on my own,” I reply, stepping past him towards the door.

He stops me by putting his arm across the doorway to block my path.

“No, you _won't_.”

“I’m getting my daughter back,” I reply. “With or without police assistance.”

He sighs. "You're stubborn, you know that?”

“I just want my terrified daughter back,” I reply. “You’ll know that feeling soon enough.”

He hangs his head. “Fine,” He says. “But I’m going to need to talk to Sarge. He’ll need to give permission, as we’ll need a large amount of our officers.”

I nod. “I’ll go wait in with Zack. Wait for the text.”

“If it comes in… wait for me.”

I smile. “I wouldn't leave without my protective brother.”

He narrows his eyes. “You just threatened to.”

“Emphasis on the threatened,” I reply. “You know I was just trying to get you to look past your anger over my plan & agree to help.”

He shakes his head, sighing.

****

At 6pm, as the sunlight is fading, Mark walks out of the station. Alone. He crosses to us, greeting me with a kiss.

“You look mad,” I say, wrapping my arms around him.

“You should all head home,” he says to Tyler, Aaron, Piper & myself.

“What about Erin?” Aaron asks.

“She… She has to stay,” Mark replies.

“What's going on?” Tyler asks.

Mark explains that Zack’s identified Dimato as the one behind all of this, & how Erin recklessly arranged to meet him face to face & alone.

"We'll be heading out soon to the arranged meeting place," he says. "It would be good for you to all go home & wait for us there.”

The others say good luck & goodbye. I hang back. Mark pulls me into a tight hug.

“Come back to me,” I whisper as he hug.

“I will,” he whispers. “We all will.”

We part. I give him a long kiss.

“Bye,” I whisper.

“Bye,” he whispers back. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

I watch him head back inside, before heading to the carpark to catch up with the others.

****

After the police confirm that Dimato, Felicity & his men are in the building, Sarge gets the perimeter set up- road blocks at all main roads a block away in every direction, with the back streets covered by on-foot officers.

Mark tightens a bulletproof vest on me.

“Is this necessary?” I ask.

“You wanting to go in on your own is too much of a risk,” he says. “This way, I can feel a little less anxious about your safety.”

“And what if he gets his men to search me?”

“Then you come up with a way of getting him not to,” he replies. “If they open fire, get Felicity & find the closest place you can hide.”

I tilt my head. “Like I needed that advice.”

“Doesn't hurt to reiterate it,” he replies. “There's also a microphone hidden right here…” He points to the top of the chest plate, at the neckline. “So we’ll be able to hear everything.”

“Your team came up with this so fast.”

“We already had the vest. It's a new bit of our gear.”

“Right,” I reply. “I feel less special now.”

He smiles. “You're _always_ special to me.”

I smile as I pull my jacket back on. I do it up to hide the vest.

“Unfortunately we don't have an earpiece that will be easily hidden, so I won't be able to talk to you once you're in there.”

“Ah, there's the silver lining,” I tease.

He looks unamused. “Now’s not the time to joke, Aer.”

“Alright, let's do this,” Sarge says.

Mark & a team of four officers escort me most of the way from the command centre to the building where Dimato is.

“Aer,” Mark says, when we reach the point where I go on by myself.

I turn to him. “I’ll be alright.”

He sighs. “If anything happens, promise me you won't go after Dimato,” he says. “Leave him to me. You only need to care about getting Felicity into a safe spot.”

I nod. “I will.”

He smiles. “Good.”

He pulls me in, giving me a crushing hug.

“Can't. Breathe,” I say.

He relaxes a little, still hugging me but I can breathe now. “Be careful.”

I nod. “I will.”

He lets me go, & I head off towards the building. I turn back, seeing him standing there watching me, looking extremely worried. I give him a reassuring smile, before turning around & continuing on my way.

****

I walk into the warehouse, escorted by two of Dimato's men. Dimato is waiting with more of his men in an open space.

“Well, well, well,” he says. “You're pretty.”

“Where's my daughter?”

“We’ll get to her in a minute,” he replies, walking over to me.

He circles me, creepily looking me over.

“You really are a beautiful creature,” he says, stepping in front of me, well in my personal space.

I lean back slightly. “We’ve met before.”

“Eddie wasn't good enough for you,” he replies. “He’s a good kid, but… Not the sharpest tool in our family. Doesn't know how to...” He strokes my chin. “Treat a woman right.”

I lift my hand & push his hand away. “What do you want?”

“I want to make a deal with you,” he replies. “I’ll drop all this… Hate. All the blame I have for you over Eddie's death.”

I roll my eyes.

“I’ll let that all go, & give you- & Felicity- a life of luxury for the rest of your life.”

****

“And what's the catch?” Erin's voice comes through my earpiece as I lead my team towards the warehouse, ready to storm it if she needs us. Three other teams are waiting at other entry points.

“That you…” Dimato says. “You become my mistress.”

I tighten my hold on my gun. _I’ll kill him!!!_

****

I step back, feeling sick at his suggestion. _Repulsed_.

“I’m giving you the chance to provide Felicity with the best life she could ever have,” he says, circling me once again. “She’ll have our protection. You won't have to worry about her being taken ever again.”

“You are aware of the fact that Felicity _isn't_ Eddie's. You have _no_ obligation towards us.”

“I am _fully_ aware of that fact. I’ve been blackmailing her _stupid_ father all week!” He says. “I’m simply giving you the opportunity for a much better life.”

“As long as I hand myself over to you, so you can rape me whenever you wish.”

He steps really close to me. “It won't be rape,” he replies. “Over time, you will love me.”

I scoff.

“You can sleep in a different room until you do,” he says. “Until you're ready to share my bed.”

“I will _never_ love you.”

“You haven't given me a chance.”

“Don't need to. I know what you're like,” I reply. “And do you _really_ think that I would even _consider_ sleeping with you after _everything_ you’ve done to my family?”

He grabs my neck. “You're being rather ungrateful,” he replies. “I wouldn't be so bold, given how much power I hold. I could get my men to bring out your little girl. Let you watch her die.” He brings his face very close to mine. “Or watch _you_ die a slow, _painful_ death.”

I lift my right knee, colliding it with his private parts, before punching his gut. He lets go of my neck, stumbling back a few steps as he bends over in pain. His men move towards us, but Dimato holds his hand up. They stop.

“Feisty,” he says to me. “You’d make a good asset.”

“Mmm,” I reply. “But you’ll _never_ find out.”

He reaches into his pocket, bringing out a radio. He activates it. “Bring in the screamer,” he says.

A door across the other side of the space opens. An Asian woman walks out & I gasp as I see Felicity in her arms. Crying.

“ _Mummmmmmmmyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!_ ” She screams when she sees me as she reaches for me.

I step towards her, but Dimato grabs me. I try & fight, but he has a tight grip on my arm.

“You can have her back,” he says. “ _Only_ if you agree to my condition.”

I think through the situation- Mark & the other cops could barge in now. I could say the code word, the signal we agreed upon to bring them in. But that leaves me with getting Felicity from that woman. And I don't like my chances of attempting to fight her without hurting Felicity. Especially with the police fighting Dimato & his men.

So there's only _one_ way I can get Felicity safely. But in order to get her, I have to do the _only_ thing that makes me _so_ _sick_.

I close my eyes, taking several deep breaths to ease the nausea. I then turn to Dimato, look him in the eyes, & say, “I agree.”

“I don't believe you.”

“I’ll do whatever it takes to save my baby girl.”

“Prove it.”

“How?” I reply. “Do you want me to pull my pants down, spread my legs & let you screw me?”

He smirks. “If that's what you’d like.”

I stare at him.

“How about just a kiss?” He asks. “For now.”

I suppress the urge to vomit. I glance at Felicity, knowing I have to keep this up until I can get her. _And then this can all be over_.

I step over to Dimato, grab his shirt, get on my tip-toes & kiss him. He pulls me in closer, to deepen the kiss. Scared he’ll feel the vest & not wanting to kiss him too much, I push back, breaking us apart.

He laughs. “Playing hard to get, are we?”

“You need to be lenient if this is going to work,” I reply. “You can't expect me to be all over you from right now. Not with what you’ve done to me, to Tyler, to Paige & Mark.”

“Do you know what I do to show my dominance? To bring new members under my command?”

“A few things spring to mind,” I reply. “But I’ll keep them to myself.”

He smiles. “I use force. As much as is required to bring them in.”

He takes a step closer. I instinctively step back.

“Test my patience any more, Erin,” he says. “And I’ll have no choice but to use all the force I have to to bring you in to line.”

“What? You’ll rape me until I submit?”

“You should be more grateful.”

“It's been a very tough week.”

He looks me up & down. He then looks at the Asian woman. “Let her have her screaming kid back.”

“Are you sure?” The woman asks.

“Maybe she'll be more compliant if she gets to hold her.”

He then looks at me. He gestures towards Felicity. I walk over, holding back from running so I don't look too eager. Felicity leans forward, reaching for me. I put my hands in her armpits & lift her from the woman's hands. I hold her tight, putting her head high near my neck so she'll hear my heartbeat. I cup her head with my right hand, my fingers playing with her hair. It's a comforting method. I kiss her head as she grips my jacket.

“Lets get out of here,” Dimato says. “In case Constable Brennan is smart enough to track his sister here.”

His men close in on us, & Dimato walks over to me. His men make a formation- two ahead of us, one either side of us & then the last three behind us. The Asian woman stands behind us, ahead of the men.

We walk off, Dimato next to me the whole time. I realise we’re heading straight towards the side where Mark & his team are waiting. _I have to warn them somehow_.

I look down at Felicity, knowing if I whisper to her, I can cover myself.

“Hey, we're almost out of here,” I whisper, just loud enough that I know Mark can hear. “Almost out.” I kiss Felicity, leaving my lips against her & drop my voice a little more. “South side.”

I pray that Mark heard all of it & that they're prepared. We approach the door & my heart pounds. One of the men in front reaches for the door. Just as he does, it flies open- he gets shot & the team come in, shooting the men that they can.

Dimato grabs my hair, yanking me towards him. Mark clenches his jaw, training his gun on Dimato.

“I _knew_ you were a two-faced bitch,” Dimato snarls into my ear.

“Like I said,” I reply. “I’d do anything to get my baby back.”

“Well,” he replies. “Your brother here now has a tough decision to make.”

“I’m not afraid to take you out,” Mark replies.

Dimato pulls out a gun, & presses it to my temple.

“But can you kill me faster than I can kill her?” Dimato asks.

This is a difficult situation- I have hold of Felicity, Dimato has a gun to my head but is still holding my hair tightly, & Mark won't be able to kill him in time.

Mark looks behind us, at the Asian woman. He then looks at Dimato again.

“Shoot my sister,” Mark says. “And I’ll make sure Michelle dies.”

Dimato laughs. “Go ahead,” he replies. “I don't care. She's replicable. Your sister, on the other hand, _isn't_. So risk losing her.”

“Do it, Mark,” I say. “Save Felicity.”

Dimato lowers his gun. He then forces me to turn towards him, & points the gun straight at Felicity.

“Want to risk it now, Constable?” Dimato asks, looking at Mark.

I study the way Dimato is standing, noting how high his arm is. Just within my roundhouse kick range, adjusted to take into consideration Felicity. I can disarm him long enough to protect Felicity & give Mark a chance to take him down.

I look at Mark & he glances at me long enough to see my nod. I shift Felicity a little, putting her in the best position to be protected when I twist mid-kick. I’m just about to launch into it when…

More of Dimato's men appear behind us. I see Mark tap the button on his radio he normally holds down to talk- he taps it twice, quickly. A signal, for sure. Calling the other teams in.

But there's no time to waste.

I do a roundhouse kick, turning my back to Dimato afterwards to shield Felicity. But as I put my right leg down again, I feel a sharp pain in it- so much that my vision blurs.

Both sides fire & I feel someone push me over & down behind a large wooden crate. I kneel on the floor, staying hunched over to give Felicity as much protection as possible. I look over my shoulder, finding Mark crouched next to me- he pops up every so often to fire off a few bullets.

Within minutes, the gunfire ceases.

“Where's Dimato & Michelle?” Mark asks into his radio.

There's a moment of silence.

“Both are in custody,” Another officer responds through the radio. “They tried to run, but encountered Team Bravo. We have them both.”

“Good,” Mark replies, relieved.

"The rest of his men are all dead.”

“Even better,” Mark replies. “Good job everyone.”

“What about your sister & her daughter?” Sarge asks over the radio.

“Both are with me,” Mark replies. “Both safe.”

I straighten up, sighing as I shift to sit on the floor. The pain in my right leg returns & I cry out.

“Erin?” He asks, concerned.

“Right leg,” I say, through the pain.

Mark runs his hands over my leg, searching for an injury. His left hand touches the back of my thigh, & I cry out.

"You're bleeding,” he replies, reaching for his radio. “I need the ambulance to the south breech point immediately. Erin's been shot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dimato has finally been arrested. Is this the end of his reign of terror? How bad is Erin’s injury?


	38. To Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will Erin be okay? Can the Brennans move on & be happy? And will Dimato be out of their lives for good?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter to wrap up the big drama, before I take a bigger time jump. Plus it's a good one to change gears into much happier stuff too! :)

Erin nearly passes out while we wait for the paramedics- from the pain more than blood loss. I get her to lie down, her head in my lap. The paramedics examine her thigh.

“It looks worse than it is,” The female paramedic, Gina, says. “Deep graze.”

“The pain?” Erin asks, breathing heavily.

“You said you were moving when it happened,” Gina replies. “Your muscle was tight. The natural movement your thigh muscles make, combined with the damage the bullet made would create the intense pain you’re feeling.”

“We can give you a green whistle to ease the pain,” Darren, the other paramedic, says. “You’re going to need to go to Erinsborough hospital to get it stitched.”

I nod. “Sounds like a good plan.”

Darren hands her a green whistle. She sucks on it as they put a bandage on her leg.

“I’ll go get the gurney,” Darren says.

“No,” Erin says.

“We need to get you into the ambulance.”

“I wanna walk.”

“Aer, you almost passed out,” I tell her.

“I can do it!” She replies. “I’m not going to let Dimato have the satisfaction of seeing me being carried to the ambulance.”

Darren & Gina look at me, waiting for my call.

“Let her walk.”

Gina packs up their things as I help Erin sit up. She still has Felicity cradled against her chest.

“It will be easier to help you up if you let her go,” Gina says.

Erin shakes her head.

“This was all to save her daughter,” I explain.

“Okay,” Gina replies. “Can you get her up?”

I nod. Gina & I both crouch. I wrap my arms around Erin's waist.

“On the count of three, we’ll stand. Okay, Aer?”

She nods.

“One… Two… Three,” I say, before standing up.

It takes a bit of effort to get her up, but I manage to pull her to her feet. Or really foot, given she tentatively puts weight on her right foot. I step to her right, wrapping my left arm around her back. I walk her out.

****

As Mark & Gina escort me to the ambulance, I look towards the cop cars to my left. I watch as two officers escort Dimato, handcuffed, over to one of the cars. He sees me as he waits for them to open the back door. I smirk, holding Felicity just that little bit tighter.

One officer guides him into the car & shuts the door. I look at Mark & smile.

“What?” He says.

“Thank you,” I reply. “For everything tonight.”

He smiles, before kissing my temple. He & Gina help me climb into the ambulance. Once I’m settled on the gurney, Mark sits down in the chair behind my head & buckles in.

****

Getting up the front stairs at home is a slow process. Karl gave me some pain medication, so it doesn't hurt that much. But it still aches. Mark walks up behind me, to make sure that I’m okay & don't fall. We’d dropped by the station on the way home, so Mark could return his gear & the vest I’d worn.

Mark opens the security door & then the front door, holding it open so I can walk through first. Paige is sitting in the armchair, while Aaron, Tyler & Piper sit on the couch, the latter two cuddled up together. They all look as I step in with Felicity.

They all get up & come over, taking turns hugging me. Paige hugs Mark.

“There's food keeping warm in the oven for you all,” Paige tells Mark & I. “Mum made it & brought it over.”

Mark nods. “Thank her for us.”

“Already have.”

“Go sit at the table,” Aaron says. “We’ll get it for you.”

In a daze, I follow the others over to the dining table & sit down. Felicity opens her eyes, looking sleepy. I turn her around, resting her back against my chest.

I feed Felicity, the others talking sounding nothing but distorted noise. The few times I look up from Felicity, I can tell that Mark’s filling them in on what happened. I can't get the image of being forced to kiss Dimato out of my head.

"Hey," Mark says, some time later. “You should eat.”

I shake my head.

“Aer, you need to.”

“I’ve had enough.”

“You’ve barely touched it.”

“I’m not hungry,” I reply, meeting his eyes.

And there it is- the sudden recognition in his eyes. The understanding of what's going on in my head. He nods.

“Alright,” he says. “Lets get you through there. I’ll give Felicity her bath while you do whatever you want to do before bed.”

I nod. We both stand. I follow him through to the bathroom. I sit on the floor, getting lost in my own nightmare memories, as he gives Felicity her bath.

"I'm… I’m going to have a shower,” I say, as he dries Felicity off.

He looks at me. “Okay. I’ll keep going with her bedtime routine.”

He wraps her in her towel, picks her up & then stands. He crosses to the door.

“Call out to me if you need me,” he says.

I nod. He leaves.

****

I run the shower very hot. Not enough to scold me, but hot enough that I feel it. _I feel so numb_.

As much as I try, I can't shake the memories from tonight. I can't shake Dimato's smirk. The smug look when I agreed to his sick plan. Having to kiss him.

I sit down, letting the water hit my back as I draw my legs up & wrap my arms around them. I let the tears out.

****

I push the door to my room open, finding Mark sitting on my bed. Felicity's tucked in, barely keeping her eyes open.

“Hey,” he softly says.

"Hey," I reply. "Thanks for taking care of her.”

“Always happy to help,” he replies, smiling. He kisses Felicity's forehead & then stands. “I’ll let you get dressed.”

I nod as he walks over to me. “I think I might just sleep.”

He nods. “Thought you might,” he replies. “It's been a long day.”

“Long week.”

He smiles slightly. “True. But it's all over now.”

I nod. “ _Finally_.”

“Sleep well,” he says, before kissing my forehead. “Night.”

“Night.”

I watch him head back to the others, waiting until he disappears from view, & then I shut the door. I get changed into my pjs, dump my towel over the back of a chair, & then crawl into bed. I switch off the bedside lamp, the room still lit a little by Felicity's nightlight.

I lie down beside her, lying on my left side to face her. Her eyes are drifting shut. I smile, leaning in & kissing her cheek.

“Good night, my little angel,” I whisper.

****

**Two weeks later**

Given the severity & amount of charges against Dimato, the court fast-tracked his trial & it begins today. He faces charges for the attempted murder of Paige & Mark, ordering my murder by sending Eddie to kill me, blackmailing Zack & the kidnap & attempted murder of Felicity. As well as a range of other lesser charges.

For a while, it was uncertain that I would attend the trial. Toadie gave me the choice to testify via video link, giving me the opportunity not to be in the same room as Dimato. But I’m determined to face him & show him that he hasn't broken me.

Mark, Paige, Piper, Tyler & myself are taken into a separate room where the witnesses wait. One by one, they are all called through- Tyler first, then Piper, Paige & finally Mark.

“Are you going to be okay?” Mark asks. “I can ask if they’ll let Aaron come sit with you.”

“I’ll be alright.”

“You sure?”

I nod. He kisses my forehead, giving my hand a squeeze before he walks over to the door. He looks over & smiles at me before disappearing out the door.

I sigh, sinking into the chair. Being alone in the room leaves me to my own thoughts for the first time all day. I’d intentionally kept myself busy up until now- talking to the others or Felicity, who is now at childcare. We're not allowed to discuss the case, but they let us talk about other things while we waited. Impossible to have a conversation when you're on your own- unless you want to look crazy. And so I’m left to my thoughts. But they fall almost immediately into reliving the night I faced Dimato.

I grab my sketch book out & focus on finishing a drawing of myself & Felicity that I started a few days ago.

Soon enough, those memories return, & I can't breathe. I ask the guard if I can go to the bathroom, & he escorts me to it. I go inside & grip one of the basins, staring at myself in the mirror.

“You can do this, Erin,” I say to myself.

I splash my face with water, dry it off & then head out. I return to the room with the guard. It's only a few minutes later before I’m called to the court room. I pack up my sketch book & pencils, before being escorted to the court room. I take a moment at the doors to compose myself. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath in… Hold… Slowly exhale. I open my eyes & nod at the assistant, who opens the door for me.

****

“Here we go,” Aaron says, as he, Mark & Tyler return to our table at The Waterhole.

Aaron has hold of an open champagne bottle & a champagne glass, Tyler has two champagne glasses & a glass of coke a cola, while Mark has two champagne glasses & Felicity’s sippy cup that's freshly filled with apple juice. They put everything down on our table, except Mark hands Felicity hers straight away. Piper takes the glass of coke as my brothers take their seats.

“That's an expensive bottle,” I say, as Aaron starts to pour the glasses.

“Sheila gave it to us for free,” he replies. “Spoiling us.”

“She said we deserved a treat,” Mark adds.

“Hmmm, if this is what we get,” I reply. “Maybe I should sleep with psychopathic nephews of crime lords more often!”

Mark gives me an unamused look.

“Too soon to joke?” I ask, giving him a smile.

“ _Way_ too soon,” he replies.

“Argh! Party pooper!”

A waiter places the large platter of chips down on our table.

“Oooo!” I say. “Lets dig in, cause this looks delicious!”

“Hang on,” Aaron says, as I reach for a chip. “I want to make a speech first.”

I scrunch up my face. “ _Really_?”

He nods. “I’ll keep it short, alright?”

I nod.

“Over the last few weeks, we’ve been through a lot. Actually… Basically the whole year so far…” He says. “But we’re all still here.”

“Dimato's finally behind bars,” Tyler adds.

“ _Finally_ out of our lives,” Mark adds, putting his arm around Paige. “Forever.”

“We’ve got Erin & little Felicity with us,” Aaron says. “And soon, two more little ones. Every time our family expands, it strengthens us. Both as a group, but as individuals. We’ve got each others’ back.”

He raises his glass & we all do the same.

“So here's to a much happier rest of the year,” he says. “But even if we’re faced with more drama, here’s to us supporting each other through the highs & lows to come.”

“How about just ‘to family’?” I ask.

Everyone nods.

“To family,” Aaron says.

“To family,” Mark, Paige, Tyler, Piper & I echo.

We all clink glasses, except of course Felicity, & take a sip.

“Now can we eat?” I ask.

Aaron chuckles & nods.

We all dig in to the chips. I put a handful on a napkin, letting them cool off for Felicity. After all of the events this week, it's so good to finally unwind with my family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy times ahead!!!


	39. Jay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's three months after the drama with Dimato. Life is almost back to normal for the Brennans. Love is in the air for Mark & Paige (with their impending bundles of joy arriving soon) and Tyler & Piper, but it hits a chord with Erin. She's ready to move on, to find a new man to fall in love with. But when she meets a guy she has a striking connection with, will she let her fears get in the way of finding happiness?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To me, this is a key chapter. I'm introducing a brand new character (an 'original') as well as kicking off a much lighter toned section of this ever growing story. I'm a little nervous about giving him over, but if my friend's feedback over him is anything to go by, he should be well recieved. I mean, she was all "oh, I dunno" when I was telling her about my plan for the next bunch of chapters, but today she read this one & I was super happy when she said "I like Jay". So if I can win her over, I can win everyone... Right? ;) Anyway... Enough rambling! Enjoy! :)

“Wow,” I sarcastically say, standing in the kitchen with Mark. “It's a _floor_!”

He sighs, unimpressed with my reaction. “It's _new_!”

“Am I meant to be excited?”

“Yeeeah!” He replies. “We don't have that nasty bloodstain anymore!”

I smile at his cuteness. “How much did it bug your OCD to have that there?”

He puts his arm around me. “I did it for you.”

“Yeah. Three months _after_ it happened!”

“Hey, we were busy dealing with Dimato,” he replies.

“Uh, yeah, for two weeks after it happened.”

He puts his hand under my chin, & squishes my cheeks. “Just be nice & say thank you Mark.”

“Thank you, Mark.”

Paige comes through from their bedroom, hair a little messy from her nap. As she approaches her due date, she's been finding it easier to have an afternoon nap. Mark lets me go & turns to her. He cups her face with both hands & kisses her. He then bends down & kisses her large bump. There's a tight pang in my chest- _that's what I missed out on while pregnant with Felicity_. I had to do it all on my own,  & a part of me is jealous that Paige & Mark get to experience this together, even though I’m really happy for them. _Maybe some day I’ll have the chance to have what they have_.

"I was just showing Erin the new floor," Mark says, turning back to me & snapping me from my thoughts.

I step aside so Paige can see the floor as she steps closer. She stares at it & nods.

“Looks good,” she replies.

“Am I the _only_ one excited by this?” He asks.

Paige & I look at each other.

“Yep,” we both reply.

He sighs, turning away.

“But,” Paige says, turning him back. “I’m happy that you're so happy about it.”

They kiss & I suddenly feel awkward. Thankfully the front door opens & Tyler steps in, holding the door open for Piper.

“Hey, how were your days?” Paige asks.

“Busy,” Tyler replies, shutting the front door as Piper walks over to the kitchen bench.

“Boring,” Piper says, sitting down at the bench. “Until I got to be at the garage.”

Tyler settles in a chair beside Piper, his shoulder brushing hers. I see the two pairs, at different stages of their relationships but both very happy. And I miss that- having someone there for me. I know I have my brothers, but… It's not the same. I miss being able to curl up in bed after a long, tiring day & have someone there next to you. To hold you, kiss you, make you forget about the troubles of your day. A month after that hellish week, we finally got Felicity's cot. Which means for the last eight weeks, I haven't been sharing my bed with her. And it's been over three months since I’ve dated. My heart has healed from the heartbreak over Eddie, & the loneliness is sinking in. _Deep & hard_.

I sigh, fighting back the emotions.

“Hey,” Mark says, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Are you okay?”

"Hmmm? Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

He frowns. “You don't sound like it.”

“I’m… I'm gonna go… Check on Felicity.”

I head into the corridor to our bedrooms, stopping far enough in so they can't see me & lean my back against the wall, letting my tears silently fall. _I didn't think this would be so hard._

“You think she's okay?” I hear Mark ask the others.

“She said she is,” Tyler replies.

“I agree with Mark,” Paige says. “She's not happy & she's trying to hide it.”

“What do you think we should do?” Mark asks.

“Just be there for her,” Paige says. “Don't push her into opening up. Let her open up when she's ready.”

I wipe away my tears, push myself off the wall & head towards my room.

****

I walk in to _the Waterhole_ the next morning for my meeting with Sheila about what we’re going to do next to promote the pub. Sheila's behind the bar when I walk in. She sees me,  & waves as she smiles at me. I smile & wave back. She points to the couches & I go & sit down. I place my sketch book, files & my iPad down on the glass table, & place my handbag on the floor.

A group of four young men about my age are playing pool. Four very handsome men. The most appealing looking one I note has a wedding band, which makes my chest tighten. But then my eyes meet the eyes of one of his mates as he crosses to their table, which is the next high one over from me. At first glance, I wouldn't take much notice of him. He's not quite as handsome as his friends- baby faced compared to the chiseled jawlines of his mates- but there's something so… _Captivating_. He's very casually dressed, his brown hair a spikey mess on top. Neither of us can stop staring at each other. He picks up his glass of beer in his right hand, resting his left arm on the table. He smiles, lifting his beer a little higher in a toast like fashion,  & then takes a sip. I smile back.

“Sorry about that,” Sheila says, stepping over & sitting down. “Sudden rush of patrons.” She sees that I’m making eyes with him. “But I see that you’re keeping yourself entertained.”

I look at her. “What?”

“Like the view?” She asks, glancing over at the guy.

My jaw drops open a little, not sure how to respond to that.

“What's your plan?” Sheila asks.

“Just to clarify, we’re talking business now, right?” I ask.

She smiles. “Unless you want to talk pleasure?”

I just stare at her for a long minute. “I think you should look into having _The Waterhole_ actively posting things on social media,” I tell her. “You know… Events coming up, both run by us & any community ones we’re involved in. As well as any specials you have. Photos from the events, as well as bringing in musical acts. I know when it was called Charlie’s that that was a regular thing, & I think we could bring them back.”

"Sounds like a brilliant plan,” She replies. “But… There's a problem.”

“I know. You're not very tech savvy, & I’ve already worked out a plan.”

“If it's teaching me how to operate social media, you’re barking up the wrong tree, love.”

I smile. “Actually, I was going to pitch that I run the pages,” I reply. “To begin with. Until we find an Assistant Manager who can handle managing the pages.”

“Are you sure?”

I nod. “The _Lassiter’s_ folio is our biggest at the moment,” I reply. “Aaron has the smaller clientele handled,  & has most of the hotel handled too. Besides, I’m better suited to running clients the size of _The Waterhole_. Much as _Lassiter’s_ is important, we’re liaising with the other hotels around the world,  & I’m more comfortable handling smaller businesses.”

“Well, aren't you just the life saver!”

I smile. “Happy to help.”

“You definitely have the kindness gene in your family.”

“Oh, you definitely _are_ the Brennans number one fan!”

“Did your handsome eldest brother tell you he dated my daughter?”

I raise my eyebrow. “No.”

“Well, he did. Her name is Naomi. They were lovely together. I’m very disappointed that she dumped him to chase after moneybags…”

I raise my eyebrow even more. “Naomi dated Paul?”

She nods. “He was conned by Terese’s brother of all people. Was made to believe that he had cancer, when he didn't. And Naomi, who was working as Paul's PA at the time, fell for him, breaking your brother's poor heart,” she says. “Dumped him when he was sick. She almost married Paul, too. Thankfully she didn't.”

“Wow,” I reply.

“Anyway… Let me get us some drinks, & then you can show me these new social media pages.”

She scurries away to the bar. I catch sight of the four young men in the corner of my eye. I look over, once again meeting his eyes, this time just as he bends over setting up a shot.

****

“Enjoying the eye candy?” Sheila asks.

We’ve been here for most of the day, setting up the various social media pages- Facebook, Twitter & Instagram- & looking into the things we can upload straight away. But my eyes kept drifting to the men who are still playing pool.

“What?” I reply, looking at her. “No.”

She gives me a look. “For someone who says they’re not, you're giving a _lot_ of your time to staring at him.”

“Them,” I correct.

“Oooh, got your eyes on more than one?”

I shuffle pages around, trying hard to hide how flustered I am.

“Word of advise, from someone with a world’s experience,” She says. “A young woman who has been through half of what you have deserves happiness. Which means you deserve the world.”

I turn to her, confused. “What are you getting at?”

“If you like what you see… Go for it,” she replies. “He looks like he’ll be nicer to you than that Edward boy ever was. So stop fussing over an old chook like me, & go talk to the handsome young fellow!”

"Oh, I... I don't know.”

“Oh, look! His friends are leaving!”

I look up & sadly find that she's right- his three friends are leaving. I look at him, praying that he leaves too. But he settles at the table.

“So go talk to him!”

I look at her. “No.”

“Take a risk!”

I sigh, looking at my stuff. I turn back, ready to say more, but she's already halfway over to the bar. I glare at her.

“Subtle!” I call to her.

I look at him- he’s looking at his mobile. I don't want to disturb him. So I lean back with my iPad, looking at the new social pages. Once we’re doing events or musical guests, I’ll set up Snapchat & Periscope. But, for now, the ones we have will do.

But my eyes keep going back to him. One time he catches me, & instead of darting my gaze away, I hold it. He smiles at me.

As I smile back, I find the courage to approach him. I get up & walk over to him, holding his gaze the whole time.

“Hi,” he says, & I instantly recognise he has a British accent. “I'm Jay. It's nice to finally talk to you.”

“Hi,” I reply. “I’m Erin.”

“Erin. What a beautiful name.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” he replies, smiling. “Has your friend left?”

I frown. “Friend?”

“Mother?” He asks. When I’m still confused, he adds, “That woman you were with.”

" _Ohhhh_!" I reply. "Sheila. Not my mother. Or a friend. She's a client… And my neighbour…”

He nods. “So… What do you do?”

“PR,” I reply. “I took the pub on a couple of months ago.”

“Why would a pub need a PR woman?”

“When they're owned by the hotel next door?”

He nods. “Well, if you're not working any longer,” he replies. “You can always gather up your things & join me.”

"Technically I’m still working,” I reply, before looking at Sheila. She's back to serving patrons. I look at him. “But Sheila has abandoned our work, to _force_ me into coming  & talking to you.”

He raises an eyebrow at me. “So you _didn't_ want to come over?” He replies. “Get out.”

“Excuse me?” I reply, looking shocked.

“I’m joking,” He replies. “Which… Totally backfired.”

I tilt my head a little. “You're… Kinda funny.”

“So does that mean you’ll join me?”

I think it over. “You buy the first round, & I will.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Coming round to the idea of speaking to me then.”

“Mmmm call it trying something new.”

“Well, go you!” He replies. “What would you like?”

“Get me a coke.”

“Not a beer? Cider?” He asks. “Wine? You're definitely a wine woman.”

I narrow my eyes a little. “I'm still working.”

“Try something new.”

“I'm talking to _you_ , aren't I?”

He looks shocked. He points a finger at me. “I like you.”

I shrug. “Everyone says that.”

He smiles. “Go get your stuff before someone steals it,” he says, picking up his glass. “I’ll go get our drinks.”

He downs the rest of his beer. He then waves me off, encouraging me to go get my things, before heading to the bar.

As I collect my things, I can't help smile. _Maybe my loneliness will be over soon…_

****

“ _Urgh_!” Paige says, as we walk into our home. “Can we get an alternative way into our house? Those stairs are making me feel like I’m climbing Mount Everest!”

I smirk. “How about a foot massage?”

She turns to look at me. “Best hubby ever!”

I step over to her, cupping her face with both hands. I then lean down & press my lips to hers. She moans into my mouth, sliding her hands up my chest to wrap her arms around my neck. I hold her as close as I can, being careful of our two bundles of joy. After our kiss, she walks over to the couch. She lowers herself down & I can't help but smirk at the way she does now as I walk around the back of the couch & sit down at the other end.

She kicks off her shoes- she's been wearing flats the last few weeks that are easy for her to slip on & off, & are comfortable- & slowly shifts so her legs stretch out along the couch, her feet in my lap & her back supported by a cushion. I gently massage her left foot, & she lets out a contented sigh.

****

“Am I boring you?” He asks.

I look up from my mobile, having checked the time. He’s looking at me, his blue eyes waiting for mine. I drop my eyes, staring at his lips & I wonder what it would be like to kiss him.

“No,” I say, softly. I snap my eyes back to his, regain my composure, & add, “I… I have to go collect someone shortly.”

“Oh,” he replies. “Husband?”

“No.”

“Fiancé?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Do you see a ring on my finger?”

He shrugs. “He could have just proposed & hasn't got the ring yet.”

“If I was gonna get engaged, I expect some kind of ring before I accept it.”

"Ooo, princess!”

“Wow, how charming of you!”

“Okay… What about a boyfriend?”

I scoff, rolling it into laughter. “What?”

“Just… Scoping out if I have any competition.”

“If I had a… Any of those,” I reply. “Do you think I would've spent my afternoon chatting with you?”

He raises an eyebrow. “You saying I’m not good enough?”

“Nooo.”

He narrows his eyes. “Alright,” he says, letting them relax. “So… Do I get to find out who you have to leave me for?”

I move my straw around in my glass, trying to figure out if I should admit that I’m a single mother to a twenty-one month old girl.

“You… Don't have to say,” he replies. “Not if you don't want to.”

“Uhh… It's my daughter,” I reply. “I have a young daughter. Almost two. Years old, not two kids…”

He smiles. “You're really cute when you babble like that.”

I smile, trying not to blush.

"So... Father not in the picture?"

“Yeah, you could say that,” I mutter.

“Ooo, sensing tension,” He replies. “So I’m going to steer us away from that topic.”

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” he replies. “Got time for another one?”

“Uhh… No,” I reply. “Sorry. I should… I should go.”

“No worries,” he replies. “It was nice meeting you.”

I smile. “Same.”

He pulls a blank page from my things, & writes down a phone number along with his name.

“In case we don't happen to see each other here again,” he says, placing the page back on the pile. “And I won't ask for yours in return. That way it's your call if we see each other again. Though I strongly vouch for that being a ‘yes’. We clearly get along.”

I smile. I then get up, but overbalance as I do. He quickly reaches out to support me, the movement causing me to end up pressed against his chest, my hands splayed either side of his collar bones as his left arm wraps around my waist. We're close enough for the sexual tension between us to intensify so much, there's an overwhelming urge to lean forward an inch & kiss him.

But my instincts kick in. My heart has been broken too many times the last few years- even just the last few months- & I can't open up my heart to love again, even though it feels so right to be in his arms.

I push myself back & he drops his arm.

“Uhh… Thank you,” I say, turning to gather up my things. “For… Catching me.”

He smiles. “You're welcome,” he replies. “I hope to see you again.”

I smile. “Maybe.”

“Well, you have my number,” he replies. “If that ‘maybe’ ever becomes a ‘yes’.”

I smile, holding my things tightly against me. For a long moment, we stare at each other.

I snap out of it. “I… I should go.”

He nods. “Have a safe trip home.”

“You too.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

I turn & walk out casually, not wanting to hurry out like I want to, because I know he’ll be watching. Once the door is safely shut, I stop for a moment. I close my eyes & deeply sigh. _I haven't felt like this in a long time. Am I being too cautious about opening myself up again? Should I see where this is heading?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will she let Jay into her heart? Or will she lose the chance to be as happy as her brothers slip through her fingers?


	40. How Do You Love, When You're Broken?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron's latest client catches Erin off guard, but proves to open her up. As Erin gets to know Jay, she makes a few surprising decisions.

“Hey, Az,” I say, walking through the corridor out into the main area. I’m still in my pjs, & turn the corner, stopping the second I see _him_. Jay. Sitting at the island bench. “Woah!”

“Hello to you too,” he replies.

“What are you doing here?”

He opens his mouth to reply, but-

“Ah, good!” Aaron says, walking out behind me. “I see you’ve met our new client.”

I look at Aaron, shocked. “ _New client?!_ ”

He nods. “Yeah,” he says as he walks over to Jay, placing paperwork in front of him. “This is our first meeting. The one I told you about last night.”

“And we're having it _here_?” I ask. “In our _kitchen_?”

Aaron looks confused. He then looks at Jay. “Excuse us for a minute.”

Jay nods. “Sure.”

Aaron walks over to me, taking my hand & pulling me out into the backyard.

“What's got into you?” He asks.

“ _Me?_ ” I reply. “What's got into _you_? Holding meetings with clients in our kitchen?”

“We don't have an office.”

“Well, maybe you should invest in one.”

“You're just annoyed because you're meeting him in your pjs.”

“Uh, _no_ , I'm annoyed because I should be able to walk out into my own kitchen in my pjs, & not be blindsided by some random client!”

He crosses his arms, burrowing his frown. “What's got a bee in your bonnet?”

“My business partner dumping our new client on me at home,” I reply. “The least you could have done is told me that he was here. It's simple, Az. You knock on my bedroom door. ‘Morning, Erin! Get changed before you come out. Our new client is sitting in our kitchen’.”

He looks at me, trying to figure out why I’m like this. His eyes widen. “Ooooo! You _like_ him!”

“What?! _Noooo_!” I reply. “I barely know the guy.”

“Give it up, sis,” he replies. “I know you two met yesterday.”

I frown. “How?” And then it hits. I shake my head. “ _Sheila_.”

“She told me, cause she gave him my contact details,” he replies. “She thought I should know.”

“Urgh! I should have _known_ she’d go spreading it around! She's the gossip queen! One woman rumour mill of Erinsborough!”

“She's also looking out for you.”

“Did she tell you she ditched me mid-meeting just to make me talk to him?”

“Erin. You’ve been through a lot. Just… Just let yourself have some fun. If you like the guy, go flirt with him. Live a little,” he says. “Don't put your life on hold.”

“I’m not putting my _whole_ life on hold.”

“Mark told me how sad you got around him, Paige, Tyler & Piper the other day.”

“ _Great_ ,” I reply. “Everyone's talking about me behind my back.”

“We’re just looking out for you, Erin.”

“By gossiping behind my back?”

“You're our sister,” he says. “We want to see you happy.”

I sigh.

“Look, I’m here for you,” he says. “Being single sucks. And it's hard to get back out there, when you’ve had your heart broken. But you’ve just got to take that leap of faith.”

I sigh again. “I don't have the best track record when it comes to relationships.”

“Don't let two bad eggs put you off dating forever.”

“I… I don't know,” I reply. “A part of me hates the loneliness that I’m starting to feel, & yet…” I sigh. “We were having a good time yesterday, sitting there talking… And… It was nice to have that sort of attention again.” I shift my weight from one leg to the other. “There was this one moment, when… I was about to leave to get Felicity, &… We almost kissed.”

He looks surprised. “No wonder you're little miss cranky this morning.”

I glare at him. “I feel there's an attraction between us, & I want to see where it goes...”

“But?”

“I… I'm _petrified_ to open my heart up again.”

“Have you told him that?”

I shake my head. “I left because I felt like an idiot.”

“Right, well… Here's your chance.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“He’s our client now,” he replies, guiding me over to the door. “And I’m giving him over to you.”

“What? No, no, no, no!”

“I’m busy with other clients,” he replies, pushing me back into the kitchen.

“Yeah, & I have a toddler.”

“Oh no, you're not gonna get out of it by playing that card.”

“I could quit,” I reply. “I can be a full time PR manager at _The Waterhole_.”

“Or you could quit & be just my manager,” Jay says.

I look at him, suddenly realising he can hear us again.

“I…I…”

He smiles at me. “I think it would be best for you & I to work together, Aaron,” he says, looking at my brother. “At least, for now.”

“Are you sure? You're not just saying that cause my sister's protesting?”

“I want an easy going relationship with my PR manager,” he says. “And right now, I can see that the best fit for that is you. I don't want to push your sister into being around me.” He looks at me. “Even though it would be nice to see her smile regularly.”

“Good, then it's sorted,” I reply. “Anyway… I don't really like mixing work &… Uh… Pleasure.”

_There you go again, Erin. Losing your words cause you're staring at him again._

****

“Hey,” She says, following me out the front door.

I stop on the verandah, turning to look at her. She's still wearing her pjs, arms crossed over her body to try & keep warm.

“Hey,” I reply.

“Look, I just… I wanted to apologise for that,” she says. “For making things awkward.”

“It should be me apologising,” I reply. “I didn't realise you lived with your brothers. If I had, I wouldn't have agreed to having the meeting here. I don't want to interfere with your life.”

“You're a new client,” she says. “Hard to not interfere.”

“Exactly why I told him that I’d work with him.”

“What exactly is it that you do? Why do you need him?”

“I'm a singer,” I explain. “I wanna get my music out there, but I need help getting people to see it. Find the edge that I’m clearly missing. Sheila suggested your brother, said something about him being an ex entertainer, so she thought it would be good for me to ask him.”

“Of _course_ Sheila recommended Aaron.”

I frown. “Have I done something wrong?” I ask. “You seem rather agitated.”

She sighs. “No. It's stuff going on in my head.”

I nod. “I like you. And you like me,” I reply. “It's clear that there's a strong attraction between us. And… Maybe… Someday, it will turn into something more.” I watch her swallow, her eyes darting to my lips & then back to my eyes. “But you need to work out whatever is going on in your head that has you so over the place with me. I really hope we can be friends… For now.”

She smiles. “You're not upset at me? For being so… For leading you on?”

“We barely know each other,” I reply. “I’m honestly not surprised that there's some hesitation.”

She nods. “Well, in that case,” She says. “I’d like to be friends. Get to know you more.”

I smile. “I’d like to get to know you more too.”

She nods.

“Anyway… I should go. Let you get back inside before you freeze.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Have a good day.”

“You too.”

“Bye.”

“Bye.”

I watch her head back inside, before heading down the stairs as I smile to myself. _There's still hope._

****

“You kissed him yet?” Paige asks from the kitchen as I close the front door.

“Does the whole house know about him?” I ask Aaron, who is sitting at the island bench.

“For someone who kicked up a fuss about being his manager, you are stepping into lovesick puppy territory,” Aaron replies. “You did rush out after him.”

“Yeah, to apologise for how unprofessional I was,” I reply. “Which is all thanks to you surprising me with a pre-breakfast meeting.”

“Important question though,” Paige asks. “ _Is. He. hot_?”

“Is who hot?” Mark asks, stepping out from the bedrooms with just sweat pants on.

“A singer guy that Aaron’s taken on as a client but your sister met him yesterday at _The Waterhole_ & they both like each other but she’s too scared to go for it, even though it's clear that she wants to get all hot & heavy under the covers with him.”

“ _PAIGE!!!_ ” I exclaim.

“What?” She replies. “Just telling it like it is.”

“In front of two of her brothers,” Mark replies, stepping beside her. “There's some things we _don't_ need to know.”

“Or see,” Aaron adds, scrunching up his nose.

“So?” She asks. “Is he hot?”

“I'm not answering that,” I reply.

Paige looks at Aaron.

“Nuh uh,” Aaron replies. “Leave me out of this.”

Paige huffs. “Oh come onnn!”

“You’ll have plenty of time to see him for yourself,” Aaron replies.

“I expect you to introduce me to him _very_ soon,” She replies, shaking a finger at him.

"Why are you so keen on it?"

“I want to find out who my future brother-in-law is.”

“Okay, you're getting _way_ ahead of yourself.”

“Hey, if he's got you _this_ fired up, I think he's got a really good chance.”

I roll my eyes. “Nothing's going to happen between us.”

“Uh… So explain the sparks flying between you two?” Aaron asks.

“We're just friends.”

“Because you're scared to let him in because of what Eddie did to you.”

Mark looks shocked. Then worried.

“Is that true?” Mark asks me.

“Not exactly,” I reply. “I’m just… Scared to open up again, because I keep thinking about what's happened in my past. Eddie turned out to be a psycho, & Zack?” I shrug. “Zack fled when I told him I was pregnant.” I fight back tears. “I know it's crazy, but… I feel like I’m not meant to be with anyone.”

Mark walks around & pulls me into a hug.

"You're going to find a man who will treat you right,” he says. “You can't give up.”

I pull back. “But what if I can't?”

“You just have to keep trying,” he says. “Don't go closing off your heart just yet, Aer.”

****

“Ahhh good! Just the woman I want to see!” Sheila says, as I cross to the bar.

“Hello to you too, Sheila.”

“Oh,” She replies, smile fading. “What's got you in a foul mood?”

“Other than the fact you encouraged my brother to take on the _one_ client I wish he _hadn't_ taken on?”

“Oh, love. Whatever insecurities you have, you should let them go.”

“You know what?” I ask. “I came here to do my job. To be professional. Not have another person meddle in my love life.”

I turn & walk towards the door. Sheila comes hurrying after me, basically trotting. She blocks my path & I sigh in annoyance.

“I’m sorry if I’ve upset you, love,” she says. “I’m just a hopeless romantic, & I can't help myself when I see a pretty, young woman like you shy away from having a romance.”

“Thank you, but… I can handle it on my own.”

“And I can see that now,” she replies. “Please stay. I’ll get you a drink on the house. I’d really like to run a few ideas by you for events we could hold.”

I sigh. “But only on one condition.”

“Name it, love.”

“That my romantic life stays out of it.”

She nods. “It will.”

“Completely out of it,” I reply. “Not even a _hint_.”

She thinks it over. "I'll do my best."

I nod. “Good.”

"Now, go find a table & I’ll go get you a drink.”

She hurries off before I can say what I want. I sigh, before looking around for a table. I find one, sit down & set up my iPad. A few minutes later, Sheila places a large glass down. I look up from my paperwork, seeing it's a cocktail. I look at her as she sits down & raise my eyebrow.

“Oh, relax! It's a new mocktail!” She says. “There's not a drop of alcohol in it! I want to see what you thunk of it.”

I pick it up, take hold of the straw, & take a sip- all under her stare.

“It's good,” I reply, putting it back down.

“Oh good!” She says, smiling proudly.

“You said you had ideas?”

“Yes. Well… _idea_.”

“Mmmm.”

“How about a singing competition?”

“Mmm,” I reply. “Cliché.”

She frowns. “I’d like to see you try.”

“No, oh Sheila! I didn't mean to upset you. I just… It could do with some improvements.”

“Well, it's a start. And you said you wanted to get back to the musical nights.”

“True.”

“So you’ll think about it?”

I nod. “I’d like you to think about ways we can make it more unique,” I say. “You won't always have me here to help. So you should learn early on to handle this without me.”

"How about we discuss it now?"

****

“Judges,” Sheila says. “You, me, our lovely Mayor Sonya… And… One of your brothers?”

“No,” I reply. “You're not abusing my family.”

She looks shocked. “But we _need_ a male judge!”

“Find someone else!”

“Hmmm… What about that handsome young suitor of yours?”

I sigh, rolling my eyes. “How about you consider someone who _isn't_ connected to me?”

She sighs. “Doesn't give me many options.”

“I'm sure you’ll come up with someone in the next three weeks.”

“Three? But it's a month away!”

“Yes, but you should have someone locked in by a week before the event,” I reply, checking the time on my phone. “Oh, _shoot_! I have to get going to pick up Felicity.”

“Oh, but I still have more ideas!” She replies, as I quickly pack up my things.

“Write them down, Sheila,” I reply, closing the cover on my iPad. “We can discuss them tomorrow.”

“But...”

“Sheila, I’m sorry, but I have to go,” I reply, picking up my handbag as I stand up.

I scoop up my things & leave. I push the door open, & crash into Jay. By some sheer miracle, I avoid dropping anything, especially when he holds my hips to stop me from falling over.

“You're in a rush,” he says, his thumbs gently rubbing back & forth over my shirt.

For a long moment, I forget everything. Everything but the urge to lean in & kiss him.

“Uh… Yeah,” I reply. I swallow. “I'm late… To pick up Felicity.”

He nods. “May I walk with you?”

I frown. “Weren't you going inside?”

“I came to find you.”

“If we hadn't agreed to be friends, I’d find that creepy.”

“I would have called, but I don't have your number.”

“Right,” I say with a nod. “I’ll have to give you that some time.”

“You could now,” he says. “If I walk with you.”

The sensible me says no, because that means he’ll be near Felicity. And I don't know if I’m ready to let that happen. But before I can think properly, I find myself nodding. He lets me go. As he turns around I cringe.

We fall into step & there's an awkward silence.

“I… Uh… I need to stop by my car & dump these,” I say, lifting the folders I have.

He nods. “Lead the way.”

We walk over to the carpark & to my car. I awkwardly fumble to hold onto everything as I try to find my keys.

“Here,” he says, taking the pile from me.

“Thanks,” I reply, giving him a small smile.

“You're welcome.”

I find my keys & unlock my car. I open the back passenger door. Before I can take it back, he places the pile on the backseat. I reach in, grab my iPad & put it in my handbag.

“I hate leaving it in the car,” I explain as I shut the door. “I feel like it could be stolen.”

He nods as I lock my car. “Understandable.”

We head off towards the community centre.

“I… Don't know what to talk about.”

“How about you tell me what you like to do to relax at the end of the day?”

“That's… A very personal question,” I reply. “More like… A date question.”

“It's also fine for two people who are getting to know each other as friends.”

I hesitate. “As long as you answer it too.”

He nods. “You first.”

“I don't really have anything in particular I do,” I reply. “Felicity's routine keeps me busy in the evening. And when I do get to relax, it's mostly curling up on the couch & catching up with my TV shows.”

“I watch TV too,” he replies. “But I also unwind by playing music. Writing my own songs. Raising a child on your own must be hard.”

“It is, but… I couldn't have an abortion, or go through giving her away. It just didn't feel right,” I reply. “It gets hard, but… She's worth it.”

“I’m sure she takes after you.”

I smile. “You have to stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Being so charming,” I reply. “I feel so guilty for making you wait for something that might not ever happen.”

“I’m not going to force you into having a relationship,” he replies. “I want you to be ready to start one before we go there. In the meantime… I get to know you.”

I smile, closing my eyes for a few seconds. “You're too good for me.”

He shrugs. “I get the sense that you need a friend.”

I nod. “I do.”

“Well, it's a good thing that Sheila encouraged you to talk to me yesterday then.”

I smile. I wonder what he would be like around Felicity. Normally I wouldn't rush into introducing her to a new friend, but… There's something about him that makes me feel so comfortable, even though I’ve barely known him 24 hours.

“This is a crazy idea,” I reply, as we stop outside the community centre. “But… Would you like to meet her?”

“If you're comfortable with letting practically a stranger meet your twenty-one month old, then… Yes.”

“If I wasn't comfortable, I wouldn't ask,” I reply. “Um… I think it would be best if I go in on my own & get her. You can meet her out here.”

“It's fine by me.”

****

It's a nervous few minutes waiting outside the community centre for Erin & Felicity. This could go either really well, or be a complete disaster.

The door in to the centre opens, & Erin emerges. She's got Felicity's bag hanging off her right shoulder with her handbag, & Felicity in her left arm. As they walk over to me, Erin points to me. Felicity gives me a shy smile.

“Felicity, this is Jay,” Erin says as she steps up to me. “Can you say ‘hi, Jay’?”

Felicity looks shy, before smiling & mumbling “Hi, Jay.”

Erin & I both smile.

“Hi Felicity,” I reply. “You're cute. Like your mum.”

I catch Erin blush in the corner of my eye. I reach out to Felicity, who reaches out & taps my hand. I tickle her palm with two fingers, & she giggles.

“Wow,” I reply. “She doesn't take to new people quite so quickly. Normally she's quite shy.”

“They say young children are good at telling who is trustworthy.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Or maybe she just senses that I’m friendly,” I reply. “She knows you know me. And I’m sure she knows you wouldn't introduce us if you didn't trust me.”

Erin smiles. “We should head back to my car.”

I nod. “I’ll walk with you.”

****

I watch Jay playing with Felicity as I make her dinner, & smile. When we reached my car, I took another leap of faith & asked if he wanted to come home & get to know me & Felicity more. He’s been here ever since.

He's so good with her. I find myself imagining what it would be like if he was here every day for her- if he became her step-father. What it would be like if we had our own kids…

I shake my head, dismissing the thoughts. _Don't get caught up in fantasies, Erin. He's just a friend._

_A friend that you have a massive amount of sexual attraction with._

_Maybe you should give him a chance romantically…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The walls are starting to come down around Erin's heart. Will she let them fall completely, & let him in?


	41. Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the eve of The Waterhole's singing competition, Erin's fighting her ever growing for Jay. With her family & co-worker encouraging her to follow her heart, will Erin give in? And will Jay's risk in the competition be the push Erin needs?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this is a really long chapter. It's 20 pages in Word (my previous chapters haven't been longer than 12-13). And is a whopping 9,152 words long. Which means the fic's word count is now pushed over the 100,000 word mark!!! WOOOOO!!!! In fact, it will be 105,504 including this chapter! That's a lot! And it's still not done!
> 
> But anyway... super long chapter. Had to be long, cause I wanted it all in one chapter, not realising that it would be this big (though the fact it took me 3 pages to write the opening scene should have been an indication...).
> 
> Head's up, there's a sex scene.

_Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right._ I hold a steady rhythm, watching the punching bag swing with every hard hit. It’s been a month since I met Jay,  & yet I just can’t let myself move over that line into something more than friends. I mean… I _want_ to cross that line. But… I just _can’t_. Each time I think I will, _something_ stops me at the last moment.

“ _Wow_. You are _really_ going at it!” Paige says.

I stop, holding the swinging bag as best I can given that I have boxing gloves on. I look at her as she slowly walks up the rest of the driveway. Now that she’s into her third trimester, she’s finding it harder to get up the entrance to our home. Her bump is now quite large, & she’s carrying quite a lot more frontwards than the sides- a sign, they say, of baby boys. Though she’s not carrying low, like they say for boys. So there’s a bit of mixed signs. They’ve decided not to find out the sexes until the birth, which is why there’s so much interest in other signs- though Paige is being her usual sceptical self about it all. Regardless, the bump is making it difficult- she’s had to change her gait to compensate, & that makes going up any sort of vertical surface hard. Actually, anything that requires vertical movement is hard for her. She’s now on maternity leave from _Harold’s_.

“Just… keeping in shape,” I reply.

“If it’s just training, then you’re doing it wrong. You can’t be so aggressive with it all,” She replies, stepping- or more waddles- up to me. “Which means you’re doing what most of us do. Use it to vent our frustration over something.”

“So what if I am?”

She shrugs as I let go of the bag & adjust my stance to box again.

“Does the source of that frustration’s name start with a… J?” She asks, as I swing at the bag.

I fall short of my target as it registers she mentioned Jay.

“Oooo! So it _is_ frustration!” She says, gleefully. “And if I had to guess what sort of frustration, I’d say it’s… _Sexual_.”

I sigh. “I get that you like to chat rather openly about your sex life, regardless of it being existent or not existent,” I reply. “But I’d rather keep _mine_ to myself.”

“I know I come from a biggish family, with half-sisters,” She replies. “But you know I grew up with an adopted family. I had a brother. I didn’t get to have ‘girl talks’ with my sisters.”

“So you’re over compensating by pushing me to do it?”

“Can you blame me? I have two babies growing in me. My hormones are going gangbusters.”

“And talking about my sex life is how you’re venting your hormones?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” She replies. “I find it strange that you’ve found a guy who you have great chemistry with, who makes you laugh & smile & then there’s the fact that Felicity’s so smitten with him if I didn’t know better, I’d think he’s her father… & yet you don't go beyond being friends. I can’t believe you’re not going for it! What does he have to do to get you to see that he’s _perfect_ for you?”

“What do _I_ have to do to get people to understand that I will go there when I’m ready?”

“Oh, babe, you’re _waaaaay_ past ‘ready’!”

“No I’m not!”

She crosses her arms as best she can & tilts her head to the side. “I’ve seen the moments you two have. The sparks that fly whenever he touches you. Like the other day, when he helped you up when you needed to get something when playing with Felicity, & you overbalanced once you were standing so he caught you. You stared into his eyes for a _very_ long moment,  & I could see you _both_ wanted to kiss. You’re holding back, I don’t know why cause he’s _cute_ , & he’s being too respectful of you to make the move himself. And as much as I find it really sweet that he’s doing it, it’s _highly_ frustrating to see you two dance around the truth instead of going with the flow.”

“Why can’t you just leave me to it? Why keep pushing me when you _know_ how much I hate having you push me for information?”

“You’re deflecting your sexual frustrations into anger towards me.”

I clench my jaw, before turning to the bag & throwing several very hard punches at it.

“Look. I care about you. I really do,” She says. “I get that you’re scared to open up to him. But you deserve to be happy. And I really think that you should give being with him a go.”

“What if things don’t work out between us?” I ask, continuing to box. “What if I open up my heart & I end up with a broken heart all over again?”

“You can’t let two douchebag exes chase you off,” She replies. “I know it’s scary to take that jump back in, but… you just have to go with it.” She sighs. “When Mark & I met… he was still mourning Kate. And… it took him a while to start over. To let himself love again. But we got there. And yes, we had our insane moments where we fought & broke up. But… look at us now.”

I stop & look at her. She’s absentmindedly rubbing her bump.

“So… just because you & Mark got a happy ending, I should jump into something when I’m not ready?”

“Do you feel happy when around him?”

“Yes.”

“Do you look forward to spending time with him?”

“He’s my friend. Of _course_ I look forward to seeing him.”

“Does your heart beat just a little faster when you see him?”

_This feels like a police interrogation._ “Where are you going with this?”

“Just answer it.”

I hesitate. “Maybe.”

She raises an eyebrow at me. I expect her to push me to change my answer, but she continues. “Does your breath catch every time he touches you? Even if it’s a simple touch, like your hands brushing.”

I take a long moment to think it through. And there’s just no way I can lie. It happens _all_ the time.

“You’re ready,” She says.

“ _Nooo_ ,” I reply. I look at her for a moment. “ _Really_?”

She nods. “What about you thinking about him?” She asks. “Do you find yourself thinking about him _all_ the time?”

I pause for even longer. He pops into my head, & I involuntarily smile.

“Oh. My. _God_!” She says. “You’re _totally_ thinking about him right now!”

“Yeah, cause you’re putting the image in my head!”

“What about sex dreams?”

“ _Urgh!_ ” I reply. “Can you just go inside, please? I don’t want to talk about it anymore.”

“I’m not leaving until you agree to give the poor guy a chance!”

“You know what?” I say, spinning on my heel to face her. “He’s the _only_ one in this situation who is being understanding about this! He respects that I have things that I need to work through before I can date,  & he’s okay with having to wait while I deal with that. So why don’t you just _stop_ with the constant pestering about it,  & _leave. Me. Alone!_ ”

“You can’t keep bottling these feelings up! Your head may be telling you all of these crazy things that have you scared to let him in, but your heart is ready,” she replies. “Actually, every part of you _outside_ of your brain is _ready_. So instead of pushing him away  & trying to suffocate those urges, _go with it_.”

I glare at her.

“You just need to leave Felicity with her clucky Uncle who happens to be my husband, have a hot night out with Jay & then sleep next to him,” She says. She then smirks. “Or not sleep.”

I sigh in annoyance. She smiles & then _finally_ heads upstairs into the house. I turn back to the punching bag, hitting it very hard- throwing punches with both arms in quick succession.

****

After I’ve finished, I have a quick shower & then head down to _The Waterhole_ to check in with Sheila. The singing competition is tomorrow night,  & I left her to organise the final few days. But since it’s the eve, I want to check in & see how she’s going.

“Well, hello love!” Sheila says as I enter, turning away from the men setting up the stage.

“Hi Sheila,” I reply as I walk over to her. “I see that you have everything under control.”

She nods. “These fine, young men are almost done setting up the stage,” she replies. “And then the speakers will be up.”

“That’s good.”

“Mmmhmmm.”

“One of the key things I wanted to see you about is the line up,” I reply. “I left the sign-up sheet with you, & normally I would have had it by now to work out the right order to put everyone in, but… I left it here in case there was any last minute sign ups.”

“Ah, yes,” she replies. “I have it at the bar.”

She walks over to the bar & I follow a few steps behind. She walks behind it & I take a seat at the bar. She picks up the clipboard, brings it over to me & hands it to me.

“Thanks,” I say, taking it.

“You’re welcome,” She says. “You’ll enjoy our latest competitor.”

I look confused. So I look at the sheet.

“Next page, love,” She softly says.

I lift the page, folding it up over the top of the clipboard to reveal the second page. I scan the list, my eyes finally falling on the last name. _Jay Soffer_. I look at Sheila  & glare.

“You should be happy! He’ll win!”

“It’s not going to be rigged, Sheila.”

“Trust me, love,” She replies. “Even if you play it fair, the talent of the others aren’t going to be anywhere near as good as him.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Doesn’t take a genius to know it.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“I’ll leave you to organise the order.”

I smile. “I’ll come find you when I’m done.”

She nods. Another customer approaches the other end of the bar, & Sheila goes to serve him. I turn my attention back to the sign-up sheet. I grab out my notepad, & work out how many men & women we have. The best course of action would be to alternate the sexes, so to know if that’s possible, I need to make sure that there’s an equal amount of each. It comes out as more men than women. So I double check. Same. But it’s only by a few. Which means I can do what planned- I just need to have a few times throughout where I have two males & then the female.

I get a new lined page, numbering each line from one to 30. I know that doesn’t seem like much for the amount of sign ups, but I formatted the sign-up sheet so each person would leave contact details & their song choice (so I can make sure that we don’t have any double ups). This means only 15 people on each page of the sign-up.

I then go down the sign-up page, placing the men at every odd number- writing their name & song choice down, as this will be the list we introduce them off of. When I get to spot number eleven, I take a moment to work out when I should add in the extra males. It takes a bit of time, but I work it out. I give Jay the last spot- I need to be fully prepared to hear him sing, so giving him the last spot should do that. I then write down the last female to sign up as the second last singer.

Eventually all thirty have been filled. I have a look over it, making sure that I’m happy with the flow. Sheila walks over just as I finish.

“How’s it going, love?” She asks.

“Good,” I reply. I turn the page around to face her. “What do you think?”

She takes it & reads down the list. “Looks good.”

“Great.”

“Except…”

I groan.

“How come your handsome friend is last?”

“They’re mainly in order of sign up.”

She nods. “Saving the best till last.”

I roll my eyes.

“Ohhh speak of the handsome devil!”

I frown. She’s looking over towards the door with a big smile. I look over my shoulder & see Jay walking over. I quickly turn back around & swallow the lump in my throat. I haven’t seen him in a few days, having spent my down time taking Felicity out to places for some much needed mother-daughter bonding time. It’s getting harder to hide my reaction when I see him- even more so now that I’m having rather wild sex dreams about him.

“Hey Sheila,” Jay says as I see him lean both arms on the bar to my left.

“Hello Jay,” Sheila says. “Can I get you anything?”

“Just a beer, thanks Sheila.”

“Coming right up,” She says, before flashing a look my way & walking off.

I look at Jay, giving him a small smile.

“Hey,” he says, smiling at me.

“Hey,” I reply.

“How are you? Feels like ages since we talked.”

“I’m good. How are you?”

“Good,” he replies. “How’s Felicity?”

“She’s good too.”

“That’s good,” he replies. His eyes fall on the pages. “Is that the line-up for tomorrow night?”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “I see you’re going to sing.”

He nods, looking sheepish. “I was kinda hoping to surprise you tomorrow night,” he replies. “I didn’t think you were the one to work out the order. I thought Sheila would.”

“Well, I should have guessed you’d be drawn to this,” I reply. “It’s your career field. Actually… wouldn’t be surprised if Sheila chose it to be a singing competition purely to have you sing in front of me.”

He leans closer. “Is that a bad thing?”

He’s close enough to kiss. If I just lean just a little more to my left, I could kiss him. But now’s not the right time. Or the right place. If I’m going to take this massive leap of faith, I’m going to do it in a much more appropriate place than the pub.

I can’t keep my eyes focused on his eyes for long. I look at his lips for a few seconds, & then back up to his eyes… but the intensity of the desire in his eyes has me dropping my eyes to his lips again as I swallow the lump I feel in my throat.

Sheila places his beer down & both of us jump apart. I busy myself with my papers, trying to ignore her but keeping her in my peripheral vision. I glance her- she’s looking rather smug. Jay hands her money. She takes it, but hovers. And I can’t take it anymore.

“I’m… I’m going to go home & contact everyone about tomorrow,” I say as I start to put all of my things into a pile.

“Stay,” Jay says. “Please.”

“Yes, love. Stay,” Sheila adds.

I glare at her. Sensing my feelings towards her, she heads down the other end of the bar. Jay settles on a stool beside me.

“So… uh… What are you going to sing?” I ask. “I mean… you wrote ‘original song’ on the sign-up sheet…”

“That’s cause I wasn’t really sure which one I was going to sing.”

“And have you now?”

He nods, before drinking some of his beer.

“Do I get to find out? Even if it’s just the title?”

He smiles. “I like this you.”

I frown.

“When you get all flirty.”

“Flirty?” I ask, surprised. “No… I’m not being flirty.”

“You just don’t realise it.”

“And? So?”

“Whatever held you back a month ago is clearly fading away, &… when you get all flirty, all I want to do is kiss you,” he says, making me swallow hard. “But I don’t. Because I don’t want you to feel like I’m pushing you too soon.”

I look down, turning my head to try & hide the blush rising on my cheeks. It takes me a few minutes to compose myself enough to look at him again.

“Hypothetically,” I say. “What if I… said that I… want to kiss you too?”

His eyes drop from mine to my lips, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips, but he doesn’t let it turn into a full smile.

“I’m just… waiting for the right moment.”

His eyes meet mine again. He leans in closer, & my heart rate goes into overdrive.

“I can’t wait for that moment,” he says softly, so only I hear. “Hypothetically, of course.”

He pulls back, picking up his beer & drink it. I let out the breath I didn’t realise I was holding.

****

I walk in the front door, finding Tyler getting a snack in the kitchen.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey,” I reply, shutting the door.

I trudge over to the kitchen bench & dump my things on it before sitting down.

“Long… Afternoon?” He asks.

“Sheila’s driving me _nuts_ ,” I reply. “She’s trying to constantly push Jay & me together.”

He frowns. “It that a bad thing?”

“When I have our sister-in-law giving me a rather intense interrogation about him… having Sheila giving me her stuff… it’s just too much,” I reply. “Honestly, if I had to pick just one, I’d keep Sheila. At least she knows when to back off.”

“Yeah, Paige can be overly pushy.”

“Wanna give me advice on how to stop her?”

“Deflect her attention, find something else to occupy her mind,” he replies. “She’s just a bit neurotic cause of her hormones. But that will also work to your advantage. The other day, she was grilling me about something & I got sick of it. So I deflected her attention to something else. A few minutes later, she couldn’t remember what she’d been grilling me about.”

I tilt my head to the side. “You can’t abuse her pregnancy brain like that.”

He shrugs. “You want her to stop hassling you about your friend…”

“Friend!” I reply. “You _don't_ know how happy that makes me to hear that!”

He looks confused.

“People keep pushing that we're more than that,” I explain. “Which, one day… _Maybe_ we will. But right now we're _just_ friends.”

“Don't bite my head off for saying this, but…” He says, before leaning closer. “Take this from someone who has been there- had a massive attraction to a friend & tried their very hardest to ignore that. The more you try to fight it, the stronger it gets. You're better off just letting go & just embrace it.”

“Speaking of Piper…”

“We’re going well,” he says. “We're both happy.”

I smile. “Good. Just keep hold of it. You never know when it's going to be ripped apart.”

He nods. “I thought everything with Brodie would rip us apart,” he says. “I thought she wouldn't want our relationship after what he did to her. She had flashbacks to it for weeks.”

“She knew how much you were there for her,” I reply. “Having that support would have helped a lot. But above all of that… She knows you love her.”

“You didn't have anyone, yet you went through something far worse.”

“Romantically, I didn't,” I reply. “But I had you, Az & Mark. The support system doesn't have to be romantic. It can be family. Even friends.”

“And now you could have all three of those.”

I sigh. “Please don't.”

He holds his hands up in defence. “That's all I’m saying.”

****

For the last week, Felicity has been sleeping in her own room. There's a study down the hall, beside Tyler's room, that none of my brothers use, so Mark decided to divide it into two rooms- a nursery for their twins, & Felicity's room. It was a tough few weeks to get the new wall & doorway added, & then paint Felicity's room so it was ready for her, but we got there. The first two nights, Felicity screamed every time I left her in there to sleep. But now she’s happy.

It's been nice having my bedroom to myself. Having to slip in & not disturb her was getting more & more difficult. It's also been good, because I’ve been having sex dreams. The more times I have them, the more… _intense_ they get. And I usually wake wondering if Felicity's ever heard me. So now I don't feel so bad about having them.

Some people consider dreams to be our brain handling unfinished business from when we’re awake. But I don't. Dreams are dreams.

Exhausted & wanting to be well rested for the chaos tomorrow, I crawl into bed early. It doesn't take me long to fall asleep…

_I’m in the Lassiters lift. I exhale to try & calm myself down. It's a mix of excitement & nervousness. I also can't stop fidgeting, fixing every piece of my clothes as possible. The doors open on a floor & I step out. I hold my head high, acting more confident than I feel. This is a big moment._

_I reach room 709, & stop a few steps from the door. I take a deep breath in, hold, & slowly exhale. On the other side of the door is the man that I love._

_I step forward & raise my hand to knock. But before I can, as if he sensed me there, the door opens. We smile at each other & he holds the door open, standing to the side to let me in. I walk in, slowly passing him as we hold eye contact. I feel him staring at me as I walk further into the room & smirk- satisfied that I picked the right outfit. My little red, figure-hugging dress._

_The door clicks shut as I place my clutch on the desk. I turn on my heel to face him as he walks over to me, his eyes taking every inch of me in. He cups my cheek with one hand, his other on my hip. He leans in, pressing his lips against mine. I wrap my arms around his neck as he pulls me hard against him._

_He backs me over to the bed, falling on top of me. He breaks our kiss, & runs a line of kisses down my neck. We kiss as we strip each other, our hands exploring each other. I’m in my undies when he kisses down the centre of my chest, his hands rubbing my sides. His lips reach the middle of my bra, & he pauses to unclasp the front clasp. He slowly pulls the straps down my arms, & I arch my back so he can pull my bra out from under me. He tosses it aside, continuing his line of kisses down my tummy. I squirm, eager to have him between my legs as soon as possible- I’ve waited too long for this._

_He runs a line of kisses from my left knee, up my inner thigh to my undies & pulls back. I whimper in protest. He does the same with my right thigh, once again stopping at my undies. He hooks his fingers under the top of my undies, slowly pulling them down my legs- I have to lift my legs up in the air so he can take them completely off. He flicks them aside as I lower my legs. He shifts back, giving himself enough room to lower himself down onto his forearms between my legs._

_He looks at me a long moment, before leaning forward just a little bit &… I gasp as he flicks my clit with his tongue. I look down & see that he's lifted his head just high enough to smirk at me. He then lowers his head, slowly dragging his tongue through my folds & I moan. He continues teasing me, making me moan as drives me incredibly close to an orgasm. He stops & I open my eyes to protest, only to find him hovering above me. He pushes inside me, making me gasp again._

_He thrusts into me as he claims my lips with his. I wrap my legs around his waist, & let out a long moan as the pleasure intensifies from the new angle. We hold each other tight, my nails digging into his back, as he thrusts harder & deeper._

_He breaks our kiss, turning his lips to the nape of my neck. He sucks my skin, & I pant into his ear. It doesn't take much longer for my orgasm to hit- I moan in his ear as it hits, my whole body shaking. I’ve never felt one as strong as this before._

_His hits just as mine starts to fade- his thrusts getting jerky. He kisses my neck as we both come down. I cup his face with both hands, pulling him up & kiss him._

****

Despite being fully dressed in my suit, I shuffle out into the kitchen, squinting my eyes at the brightness. When my eyes adjust, I see Mark sitting at the dining table, feeding Felicity breakfast.

“Sleep well?” Paige asks.

I turn towards her voice, finding her standing at the kitchen bench.

“Yes,” I reply. “You?”

“Oh, as good as can be, given I’m seven almost eight months pregnant,” She replies. “I have to get up during the night for the toilet…”

It takes me a few seconds, but I close my eyes as it clicks- _she has to go past my room to get from her & Mark’s bedroom to the bathroom._

“Oh _god!_ ” I moan.

“Heard that last night.”

“ _Paige!_ ” Mark chastises.

“ _What?_ ” She replies.

“You _told_ him?!” I ask her.

“I wish she hadn't,” he replies, looking as miserable as I feel.

“You were the one that had to ask why Erin wasn't up!”

“You know what?” I ask. “I’m done with this. I’m out.”

“What about breakfast?” Mark asks.

“I’ll grab it at _The Waterhole_ ,” I reply. “Are you okay with her?”

He nods. “Yeah,” he replies. “Don't worry. I’ll get her to childcare.”

I smile as I walk over to them. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” he replies, smiling back. He then lowers his voice so only we can hear. “Consider it compensation for my wife.”

“Not nearly enough, but it's a start,” I reply as I bend over. I rub Felicity's cheek, & she giggles. “Bye, my Princess.”

I kiss her forehead a few times. I turn back to Mark, smiling at him as I give his shoulder a squeeze.

“Have a good day,” he says.

“Hopefully I can pick her up this afternoon, but-”

“Text me if you can't,” he replies. “I finish at four. Happy to pick her up if you can't.”

“You are the _best_ brother!”

He smiles. “It's good practice.”

“Yeah. In a few months, you’ll be collecting _three_ of them.”

He smiles.

“Anyway… Thanks again,” I reply. “Bye.”

“Bye.”

I walk over & get my documents & iPad off the kitchen bench, scooping up my handbag off the floor below. I wave bye to Felicity, who flaps her arm in what I assume was an attempt to wave back, & then walk over to the front door.

“Say hi to Jay!” Paige says, as I reach for the front door handle. “Or better yet… Moan his name! He’ll _love_ that!”

The last thing I hear is Mark sternly saying, “ _Paige_!”

****

As the day passes, Sheila’s calmness fades. By mid-afternoon, she’s trotting around the room either bossing staff as they finish off preparing for tonight or clearing tables & making sure patrons are looked after.

“Sheila,” I say.

“Not now, love,” She says. “Lots to be done!”

“Yeah, you need to stop & listen to me.”

She stops, & I can tell she’s running through what’s left to do.

“You’re working yourself too hard,” I tell her. “You look frazzled. You need to stop spreading yourself too thin. Why don’t you focus on your usual responsibilities, & I’ll handle the prep for tonight.”

“No I’m not!”

“Sheila,” I say, placing my hands on her arms. “You are. And I need you to be fine for tonight. So why don’t you head into your office & just relax for a bit. I’ve got a handle on running the pub.”

“Oh, that’s too much to ask you to do!”

“You’re not asking,” I reply. “I’m telling you.”

She sighs. “Alright,” She says. “But if any of my staff give you hell, come & get me.”

I nod. I watch as she heads into her office, waiting until the door closes before I sigh.

****

“Well, look at you! Woman of power!” Jay says from behind me & I jump at the sound of his voice.

I turn to him as he steps up to me, frowning. I see his guitar in its case hanging from his back.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“Yes,” I reply, trying to suppress the flashbacks to my steamy dream about us. “Just… You took me by surprise.”

He nods. “Thought I’d come & see if you need a hand.”

“Uh… Thanks, but… I think we’re fine.”

“You’re welcome. You sure?”

I nod. “Most of it is done. And what’s left, we’ve got enough staff to have it covered. But I really do appreciate the offer.”

He smiles. “You’re welcome.”

“Why don’t you settle at a table, & I’ll get one of the barmen to bring you a beer?”

He looks a little nervous. “Actually… I was hoping to talk to you.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. I have the time, but… last night’s dream was the steamiest one I’ve had. And I really don’t know if I can handle being alone with him- I feel so nervous around him right now. I can’t imagine how flustered I’ll get if I’m alone with him. _Maybe I should just give in & be with him romantically…_

“Umm… Sorry,” I reply. “I… I don’t have time to talk to you.”

I see the devastation in his eyes & my chest tightens. My instincts scream for me to kiss him, but it’s just not the right time.

“Right,” he says. “How about you have dinner with me?”

“Uhhh… That would be good, but… I was going to head off soon. I haven’t spent time with Felicity today, & I want to pop home & see her before she goes to bed.”

He forces a smile. “Okay.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I understand.”

“If I have time later, I’ll hang with you.”

He smiles. “That would be good,” he says. “What’s the chances it will be before the competition?”

“I don’t know. We’ll just have to see.”

He nods. “Okay. It’s just… I really want to talk to you before it.”

“Well, you’re last in the line-up,” I reply. “We’ll have a break halfway through.”

He nods. “If we don’t get to talk before it starts, I’d like it if you could give me time in the break.”

I smile, nervous about what he wants to say. “I can’t guarantee it, but… yeah.”

“It won’t take long, just a few minutes,” he says.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

He hugs me & I hug him back, trying not to let the images from my dream get in the way. I breathe in his cologne, & I wonder what it would smell like while we made love…

“See you later,” He says as we part.

“Yeah, see you later,” I reply.

He smiles before crossing to a table across the room. I watch as he takes off his guitar, resting it against the bench seat & sits down. I turn my back to him & sigh. _It’s going to be a long night_.

****

I manage to get home just as Mark is finishing giving Felicity her dinner.

“Heyyy baby!” I say to Felicity, taking he bib off & scooping her up into my arms.

I kiss her cheek repeatedly & she smiles. _Oh, I miss spending all my time with you!_

“How much time do you have?” Mark asks.

“Long enough to give her a bath, read her a story & hopefully get her asleep,” I reply. “We’ve pushed the start back a bit.”

He nods. “That’s good,” he says. “You go give her a bath. I can clean this up.”

“I feel really guilty. You’re doing more to raise her than I am right now.”

“I don’t mind,” he replies. “It’s good getting to spend time with her. I wasn’t there when she was a newborn.”

I nod. “I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you about her.”

“Don’t, Aer,” he replies. “Just go give her a bath. That way you can have more time to settle her in bed.”

I smile, before looking at Felicity. “Let’s go give you your bath! Yeah? Yeah!”

****

“Oh, _hottttt_ mumma!” Paige exclaims as I walk back into the living area.

With Felicity asleep, I had just enough time to have a quick shower without washing my hair. I then changed into a fancy pair of underwear & a nice, casual but slightly sexy dress. My hair’s curled & pinned back slightly & a light layer of make-up.

I look at Paige. She’s standing with her jaw open. She signals for me to turn around, & I comply.

“Wow. You look like you’re heading out to a club, not a singing competition at the pub!”

“It’s too much, isn’t it? I’m gonna go change.”

“NO!”

I look confused.

“Don’t, you look fine!” She says. “Dressed to impress.” She smirks. “And I’m sure there’s only _one_ guy you’re trying to impress.”

I sigh, rolling my eyes.

“And a dress,” She says. She smirks. “No pants. _Perfect_ for sexy time.”

Thankfully, there’s a knock at the front door.

“Oh thank god!” I reply, crossing to the door.

I open it, & gesture for Piper to come in. She’s carrying a bag of her schoolwork. She’s agreed to come & be here in case Paige needs help. Felicity will sleep through the night, but just in case, I thought it would be good for Paige to have help.

“Hey, Piper, thanks for coming over,” I say.

“Hey Erin. No worries. Happy to come help out.”

“You ready to go Aer?” Mark asks, emerging from the bedrooms. He’s dressed smart casual, fixing up as cufflink as he walks. “Oh, hey Piper.”

“Hey, Mark.”

“I’m ready to go,” I say.

He nods, before turning & crossing to Paige. They kiss, getting all lovey-dovey & I avert my eyes. Mark then walks over to us.

“Have a good time,” Piper says.

“Thanks,” I reply.

We say goodbye & head out.

“Let me know what Jay says when he sees you!” Paige calls out.

“Not a chance!” I reply before Mark shuts the door.

We head down the stairs. “I can’t _wait_ until she gives birth  & is too tired from looking after your twins to be saying stuff like that.”

He smiles. “You do look stunning,” He replies.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” He replies, as we reach the bottom of the stairs. “You know she’s right. You’re clearly dressing to impress Jay.”

“Please, please, _please_ don’t you start too! I’m sick of this family sticking their nose into my love life!”

He takes my arm, turning me to face him. “We just want to see you happy. Jay makes you happy. It’s not hard to see that. Which is why we’re encouraging you to follow your heart.”

“How did you do it?” I ask. “When you moved on from Kate with Paige?”

“Made a bet with her that I thought was just us being friends, betting on our workout & the loser pays for dinner,” He says. “Sonya pointed out that it was a date. I freaked out, cause it was the first time since Kate died. And… bailed. Paige was furious, & we ended up having an argument in the middle of a tornado.”

“Wow.”

He nods. “I ended up kissing her at the end of that argument.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Wow. That must have been a _lot_ of sexual tension built up.”

He nods. “That’s why Paige is pushing you so much about you & Jay. She’s clearly being reminded of us. Maybe a part of her wants you to not waste the time that we did before getting together.”

“Well… He wants to talk to me tonight.”

“Oh?”

“Before the competition.”

His eyes widen. “Well, what are you doing standing here wasting time talking to me?”

“I’m not wasting time, I’m getting advice!”

He places his hand on my shoulder, turns me towards his car & guides me over to it.

“We are getting you over there right now to talk to him.”

****

I see her walk in, Mark a few steps behind. She looks absolutely _stunning_. Her purple dress clings to her body  & hips, becoming more loose & flowing as it reaches her legs. I wish that I could take her home, tell her how I feel about her, & make love to her.

I stand & step round my table as she & Mark approach. She smiles & I smile back.

“Hi,” She says.

“Hi,” I reply. “You look stunning.”

She smiles, blushing. Mark smirks.

“I’ll leave you two be,” Mark says. “Good luck for later, Jay.”

“Thanks, Mark.”

Mark & Erin exchange looks, Erin glaring as he walks away, heading to the bar where Tyler & Aaron are seated. But I can’t take my eyes off her. I hope I get the chance to slowly take that dress off her later tonight.

“So… uh…” I say, pushing aside my desire. “Have you eaten yet?”

“Uh, no, not yet,” She replies. “I spent my time at home with Felicity & then getting ready.”

“Let me order something for you.”

“Oh, that’s too much.”

“You need to eat.”

She opens her mouth to reply, but Sheila comes over.

“There you are!” Sheila says. “Oh, don’t you look gorgeous!”

Erin smiles at her. “Thank you.”

“I need your help.”

“We were in the middle of something,” I reply.

“This can’t wait,” Sheila replies. “It’s an utter _disaster_.”

“What’s going on?” Erin asks.

“We’ve had five people pull out, which isn’t a big deal until I’ve had I don’t know how many of the remaining people complain to me where they are in the line-up,” Sheila says. “The only one setting a good example is your friend here, who hasn’t uttered a peep about it.”

Erin looks at me, before looking back at Sheila. “Have you told them the order remains the same?”

“I’ve tried, but most of them are being pushy about it,” Sheila replies. “I can’t handle it, so I need you to come & be referee.”

Erin looks at me again, giving me a sympathetic smile. “I’m sorry.”

“Go,” I reply. “We’ll talk later.”

“For being that sweet, I promise I’ll make time in the break for you.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” I reply, giving her my most charming smile.

I see her take a deep breath in, her eyes locked with mine. And for a long moment, there’s a really strong chance that she’ll tell Sheila she can handle it for a few more minutes so she can stay & talk to me. But she looks away & I watch her walk away with Sheila.

I sit back down & sigh. To get so _agonisingly_ close to telling her what I wanted to, only to be interrupted. _Again_. I just want to tell her, so she’s not taken by surprise later.

****

Sheila gets me fish & chips- especially made for me so I can eat while standing up, so the fish is in bite sized pieces- & I’m getting this situation under control. I’ve talked to most of the contestants, & the majority of them have agreed to go with the original line-up order. However, there’s still a handful who are still pushing that we put them up the list, in spots free thanks to people dropping out.

With only a few minutes until we’re meant to start, I need to reel this in. So I gather the pests by the judging table.

“Here’s the deal. It’s final, so listen up,” I tell them. “You’ve known the order for twenty-four hours. If you have an issue with it, you should have spoken up earlier today. Leaving it to the last minute is rather childish. And very stressful for myself & Sheila. Given that we’re meant to start in a few minutes, I am laying down an ultimatum. You either accept your position in the line-up as I scheduled you, or you drop out.” I look from one to the next, to the next, holding eye contact with each of them. “So what will it be?”

All of them thankfully accept to stay in the order they are & I dismiss them. I sit down in my chair at the judging table & sigh. I mark on the line-up sheet each of the troublesome entrants. Sheila places a glass of champagne down.

“I thought you could do with this,” Sheila says. “The very best. On the house. Call it a thank you for handling the situation.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

“There’s one more thing you can do for me,” I reply. “I know that I agreed to do the hosting for the first half, but…”

“You rest up, love,” She replies. “You’ve done more than enough since this afternoon. I’ll handle it. You can see how you feel in the second half.”

“You,” I reply, pointing to her. “Are the best.”

She smiles. “Not as much as you are.”

I smile. Jay walks over just as I take a sip of my champagne.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey,” He replies. “Do you have time to talk?”

I look at Sheila.

“I’ll go wait at the stage,” Sheila replies.

I smile at her. She smiles back, smiling at Jay as she walks off. I relax back into my chair.

“So…” I say. “What’s up?”

“Uh… Can we go somewhere more private?”

“Not really. My feet are _killing_ me,  & we’re about to start at any moment.”

“I just wanted to say-”

“Am I late?” Sonya says, walking up. I look at her & she realises she’s interrupted. “Oh! I’m sorry! I interrupted.”

“No, it's fine, Sonya,” Jay replies. “It can wait till later.”

I frown, looking at him. “Are you sure?”

He nods. “We have more time in the break,” he says. “Anyway, I better get back to my table. Pretty expensive guitar over there.”

“Alright,” I reply. “I’ll come find you in the break.”

He nods. “Bye.”

“Bye,” I say.

“Bye,” Sonya replies.

Jay leaves just as Aaron steps up.

“You’re officially off hosting duties,” Aaron says to me.

“What? Why?” I reply.

“Sheila’s having a stress out, & so I offered to take over hosting,” he replies. “I just came to get a copy of the list.”

I nod, swivelling my chair so I can access the table. It takes me a minute to dig out a spare copy. I hand it to him.

“Great. Thanks,” he says, taking it.

“You’re welcome,” I reply. “Uh, I’ve crossed out the ones who have dropped out. So just go down the list & skip those ones.”

He nods. “Easy,” he replies. “Where’s Jay on the…” he frowns. “The last one?”

“He’s not getting special treatment. And he’s happy to go last. He happened to see the list straight after I finished it.”

He puts up his hands in defeat. Sheila steps over.

“Get up on stage, & get this started before we have a riot!” Sheila says.

“Yes, ma’am!” Aaron replies, mock saluting.

****

The singing gets worse & worse the further through the first 15 we get. Some are okay, but most are off key & others are really, really cringe-worthy. I need more & more drinks just to get through.

At the halfway point, which was sadly cut so we could try & catch up the time we lost at the start due to the delayed start time, Jay crosses to me. But as he approaches, I get dragged off by Sheila to pose with some of the singers. When I finally get the chance to slip away, Sheila ushers Aaron back onto the stage to start the second half. I make eye contact with him, giving him a sympathetic smile & mouth “Sorry” at him.

The talent barely improves as we go through the early singers of part two. Sheila’s right- Joe will win. Even if he doesn’t hit all the right notes, he’ll win. The bar is set _really_ low.

“And we’re up to our final contestant, ladies & gentlemen!” Aaron says. Sonya, Sheila & I sigh. “But before I introduce him, I’m just going to run through some rules again. There will be one winner & two runners up. The judges will have fifteen minutes after our last contestant to decide the three. We will be presenting them with their prizes, starting with the second runner up. So stick around. We will also draw the raffle while the judges make their decision.” He pauses for a few seconds. “Alright. Our last contestant is going to be singing an original song. The first for tonight. I’d introduce the title, but… he hasn’t given it. So I’m going to hand it over to him. Please give a warm welcome to Jay Soffer!”

The crowd applauds as Jay, his guitar hanging from its strap by his side, climbs up on stage. Aaron shakes his hand & hops down, going to join our brothers. If Paige was here, I know she’d be cheering him wildly. He adjusts his guitar to be in front of him & plugs it in, giving it a few strums to make sure that it’s in tune.

“Thank you,” he says into the microphone, & the applause fades. “Umm… this is a song I wrote last night. I was going to sing another song, but… inspiration hit & I knew I had to sing this.” Some people laugh a little. “This is called _Only Want_.”

Everyone claps & he waits till it dies down a bit before starting. With just a few bars, he’s already the front runner. And then he sings. I haven’t heard him sing yet. _Oh my god!_ He’s just _incredible_!

I can’t keep my eyes off him… and then it hits. I’m pretty sure it’s the chorus when it dawns on me what he’s singing about.

_Me_.

I sit there, stunned & gaping the rest of the song. I don’t even register the ending for a minute. Not even the standing ovation from everyone including Sheila & Sonya really sinks in. I get up, catching sight of Mark’s worried look in the corner of my eye.

The audience all sit as I swallow a lump. I can’t even look at him.

“Are you okay?” Sonya asks.

“I’m… I’m gonna go,” I reply.

“But what about the judging?” Sheila asks.

“You two can figure it out,” I reply, grabbing my handbag.

I turn towards the door, having to step past Mark at his table. I steer clear of him, & he gets the message- _leave me alone_.

“Erin!” Jay calls as I reach the door.

I don’t look back. I don’t stop. _I have to get out of here._

****

“ERIN!” Jay calls, as I hurry to get under the _Lassiters_ awning to escape the rain.

I don't look back, continuing to walk around to the main entry point as I get my mobile out to call for a taxi. He catches up with me.

“Just go back inside,” I tell him.

“Come with me.”

“ _No_.”

“Okay, so let me explain, alright?”

I sigh in annoyance.

“I tried to tell you about the song earlier,” he says. “Tried to give you the heads up you deserved.”

“So why didn't you? You had _plenty_ of chances,  & yet you backed out! Like when Sonya arrived. You bailed.”

“Because I wanted to tell you in person,” he replies. “On our own.”

I shake my head. “I can't believe you just let it drop. You let it blindside me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“You know what? It's _not_ the song that I’m upset over,” I reply. “It's the fact that…” I sigh, closing my eyes  & trying to focus my thoughts. I look at him. “You’ve been so, _so_ kind  & generous… & understanding. You’ve waited _all_ this time despite you wanting me _so bad_ & all I do is keep you friend zoned.”

“You're working things out.”

“You’ve been so good, patiently waiting & then… _this_ ,” I reply, pointing to the pub. “I’m not annoyed about the song, I’m annoyed that you are happy to wait for me & then you go & confess your love for me in front of a crowd of strangers, my three brothers, Sonya & Sheila. And telling her is like telling the whole street!” I shake my head. “And what cuts me the most, is that you _didn't_ try hard enough to give me a heads up. Instead, you let it hit me by surprise  & think that I’m going to stand there & act like everything is okay. When it's _far_ from it.”

“I'm sorry,” he says, stepping towards me as his hands reach for me.

I step back & he stops.

“Just go,” I say. “Go back inside. You're going to win. The rest of them were so shit, all you had to play was the introduction & you’d beaten them all.”

“Erin-”

“ _No_. I need some space. Okay?” I reply. “So just leave me alone for tonight.”

****

I get a taxi home, taking off my heels as I climb the stairs. I force back the thoughts of Jay as I unlock the front door. The living area is in darkness, so I quietly shut the door & make my way through to the bathroom without turning on a light. I step into the bathroom, shutting the door almost all the way & then turn on the light. Once my eyes are adjusted to the light again, I put my heels on the floor & cross to the sink. I remove my make up, take out the bobby pins holding my hair in place & brush my teeth. I pick up my shoes, flick off the light & open the door.

As I reach my room, I see further down the hall that Tyler's bedroom door is shut. Piper must be sleeping here. I step into my bedroom & close the door. I cross my room, put my shoes down, & flick on my bedside lamp.

I unzip my dress. I push the sleeves over my shoulders, & let it cascade into a heap on the floor. I step over my dress as I unclasp my bra, pulling it off & tossing it aside. I pull back the covers on my bed, grab my loose fitting pj top & put it on. I crawl into bed, lie down & then flick off the lamp.

I settle on my right side, the way I always fall asleep, & yet… _Nothing_. It's late, I’m tired, yet… _My brain won't let me sleep_.

I lie there, willing myself to sleep. I go through _every_ method I can to get myself to sleep, but _nothing_ works.

I can't get my mind off him for more than a minute. Dreams blur with reality, whether my eyes are open or closed.

I turn to look at the time on my mobile- _1am. Been lying here for a little over two hours_.

I sigh, looking at the ceiling again. _This is ridiculous._

_And there's only one way to solve this._

****

I walk out of my bedroom, wearing nothing but my boxers & rubbing my eyes with my right finger & thumb. Another round of knocking on my front door happens, & I flick on the hallway light as I step over to the front door. _Who drops by at 1:45am???_

I undo the security chain & then turn the handle. I pull it open, surprised to see her. She's wearing the same dress as earlier, this time with knee-high boots & a leather jacket. I push the door open wider & let it go, knowing it will stay all the way open.

****

Without a word, I step inside, stopping right in front of him as I place my hands on his chest, either side of his collar bones. He instinctively places his hands on my hips, & his touch sends a sensation through me that I can't explain. This is the first time that I’ve seen him this naked. I haven't even seen him shirtless before. Other than my dreams, of course. I find myself running my hands over his chest, mapping out every inch, every high, every low, with my fingers. I get so lost watching my fingers, I loose track of time. He tightens his hold on my hips, pulling me back to right now.

I snap my head up, meeting his eyes. I hold his gaze for a long minute. My eyes drop to his lips, & I can't take this any longer. I had this whole speech worked out in the car on the way here, but now that I am here… Seems pointless. Actions speak louder than words.

I lean forward, & press my lips against his. He's surprised at first, but kisses me back. _It feels sooo good to finally give in._

But just as quickly, the fear of letting someone into my heart crashes in again. Before I know it, I’m pushing off his chest, breaking our kiss & us apart. I shake my head, fighting back tears. I want to tell him what's going on, but… I just can't find the voice.

I turn & step out the door. He grabs my arm, pulling me back to him. I turn to him & he cups my face with both hands. He kisses me, short & sweet, before resting his forehead against mine. And then he pulls back, making me frown, but it's just to shut the door. He quickly hooks the security chain back on & then turns back to me, his hands cupping my face again. His lips crash against mine, but I don't care. _This is right. This is where I should be._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Erin FINALLY gave in to her feelings! What will happen next? And how long will they be together before everyone else finds out?


	42. Harmony & Disharmony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As new love blossoms, an old face threatens to rip another apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to say that I'm having fun writing Jay & Erin, as well as a very pregnant, hormonal Paige. There's a lot of humour... But where there's happiness, comes instability. And not every reader will like the ending. But I promise it will be good when you see the next chapter.

I sigh as I stir, & I feel his arm band around me & pull me closer to him. We rub noses & I smile. I open my eyes, greeted by his & we both smile as he closes the gap & kisses me.

“Morning,” he says.

“Mmmmmorning,” I reply.

“Best middle of the night wake up call.”

I chuckle.

“Does that count as make up sex?”

“Technically we weren’t together when we fought.”

“Seriously, I’m glad that you came over.”

I smile. “Me too,” I reply, leaning in & kissing him.

He wraps his arm around me as we kiss, pulling me on top of him. I grind my hips, making us both moan into our kiss. He pushes inside of me & slowly thrusts as I rock my hips.

He holds my hips, making me stop moving, & then thrusts faster. The pleasure gets too much & I orgasm, collapsing against him. He holds me close, not losing his pace. He then flips us, so I’m on my back, & kisses my neck as I pant. I grip his back- _this is better than all my dreams_. He continues on  & I feel another orgasm coming. So I wrap my legs around his hips, both of us moaning as my inner walls tighten around him. We climax at the same time, his thrusts slowing as we come down. I turn & kiss his jaw. He turns & meets my lips.

****

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t fall asleep!” He says, squeezing my shoulder.

We’re standing in his quaint little kitchen. He’s cooking us bacon & scrambled eggs, his left arm around me & I have my arms around him, my head resting on his chest. I’m wearing one of his shirts.

“Well, someone kept me up all night.”

“Oh, says the one who turned up on my doorstep at almost 2am for a booty call.”

I lift my head up to look at him & gape. “It _wasn’t_ a booty call!”

He grins. “Just teasing,” he replies, leaning in for a kiss.

I rest my head on his chest again as he turns back to cooking. “You know we haven’t talked about last night.”

“About the fight?”

I lift my head, looking at him as I nod. “I’m sorry for getting mad.”

He smiles a little. “You had the right to,” he replies. “I made a very private thing public without telling you.”

“I shouldn’t have pushed you away.”

“Hey,” he says, putting down the tongs. He cups my cheek. “You did the right thing. Outside _The Waterhole_ & when you turned up at my door.”

“Why do you have to be so understanding & kind to me? It just makes me feel so bad for treating you like crap.”

“Because I’m in love with you.”

I stare at him. My heart probably stopped for a few seconds too. _That’s the first time he’s ever said he loves me._

He looks nervous. “I’m sorry,” he says. “It’s too soon to be saying it.”

“Well, you do have a strong habit of blindsiding me,” I reply with a smile.

He chuckles. “True.”

I press my lips to his. He pulls me closer & I wrap my arms around his neck. We break apart when we smell our breakfast burning.

****

“Have either of you seen Erin this morning?” Mark asks Paige & me as we make breakfast.

“No,” Paige replies. “Haven’t seen her since she left with you for the competition.”

“Haven’t seen her since she bolted after Jay’s song,” I reply.

Paige drops the butter knife she’s holding, turning to me & raising her eyebrow. “She bolted?”

I nod. “Jay sang a really beautiful original song that was a love song to Erin,” I reply. “She freaked out, & left straight after it. Jay chased after her, but came back without her.”

“Wow,” Paige says.

“I just hope she’s okay,” Mark says. “Her bedroom door has been open all night.”

I frown. “I swear it was shut when we got home.”

Mark frowns. “Maybe it was…” he replies. “But it’s not now.”

Paige shrugs. “Maybe she’s gone for a run,” she says. “You know, to clear her head. Wouldn’t be surprised if she’s still upset over the song.”

****

I stop on our front veranda, psyching myself up for the onslaught of questions. Mostly from Paige & Mark.

I sigh, cross to the front door, open the security door & then main door. Mark & Paige are standing in the kitchen making breakfast, while Aaron’s seated at the bench. All three look at me.

“There you are!” Mark says. “Where have you been?”

Paige looks me over. She looks shocked but then smirks. She slaps Mark’s bare left bicep with the back of her hand, doing it repetitively, each time getting harder.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, _OW!_ ” he says, moving his arm out of her reach on the last one. “What?”

“She’s been with Jay!”

He frowns as I cross to the bench.

“How do you know that?” he asks as I sit on a stool.

“She may be in the same dress as last night,” She replies. She looks at me. “Which still looks smoking hot, by the way.” She turns back to Mark. “But she wasn’t in knee-high boots or wearing that jacket when she left with you. So clearly she’s been back here & then went back out.”

“You are extremely observant,” I reply.

“When it comes to you slipping out in the middle of the night to go _finally_ get all hot  & heavy with the lovesick puppy you call a friend, then… Yes.”

“Don’t call him that.”

“So… was it as _hot_ as your dreams?”

I fight back the urge to puke. “You are _unbelievable_!” I look at Mark. “Intervene, please!”

“Paige, leave her alone,” Mark says.

“Awww, come on! This is exciting!”

“I’m not going to talk about it!” I reply. “Yeah, I went to see him. Yes, I slept with him. That’s _all_ you get to know.”

She pouts. She thinks for a minute & a small smirk appears.

“Don’t you _dare_ harass him for details!” I say, sternly.

She frowns. “You’re no fun!”

Exasperated, I look at Mark.

“Paige,” He says, looking at her. “You need to give Erin space, okay?”

She raises an eyebrow. “So she makes us wait a month & then when it _finally_ happens, I’m supposed to ignore it?”

“Yes,” I reply. “You’ve been driving me _nuts_ pushing me to do it, despite knowing that I hated it. What makes you think that I would want to spill the details _now_?”

Tyler emerges from the bedroom. “What’s going on?”

“Erin slept with Jay,” Paige says.

Tyler looks at me, surprised. “Really?”

I nod.

“That’s… Surprising,” he replies. “Given how you reacted to his song last night. He was kicking himself when he came back.”

“Makes two of us.”

“Betcha the make-up sex was hot.”

“ _Paige!_ ” Mark says.

“If you want an escape route,” Tyler says quietly to me. “Felicity’s fussing. Pipes is in there now, but I’m sure she’ll want her mum.”

“You’re a life saver!” I quietly reply.

He smiles. “I’m just happy you worked things out with Jay.”

I smile. “Me too.”

“So am I,” Aaron says, patting my back.

“We all are,” Mark adds. “We’re just more respectful.”

Paige, shocked, hits him. I get up & head off to get Felicity.

****

I’m in the middle of giving Felicity her breakfast, when my mobile buzzes. I put down her spoon on her high chair, & pick my mobile up off the table. I smile when I see the text.

_Come down to the Waterhole. Need you. Sheila’s pestering me. Jay xx_

“Loverboy sending you a love note?” Paige asks.

“So what if he is?” I reply, unlocking my mobile to reply to him.

“It’s _so_ cute!” She says.

I type a reply- _You have the wrong number. You’ll want your manager._

I hit send, put my mobile down & then continue feeding Felicity. It buzzes again just as I’m crossing to put her empty bowl in the sink. I put it in & cross back.

_Officially asking for you to take over. Besides, I want to see you. Xx_

I reply- _We’ll be there soon. Xx_

I’m about to put my mobile in my pocket when he replies.

_Please let that be you and Felicity!! Xx PS love seeing the kisses on the end ;)_

I reply- _You’ll see ;)_

****

Aaron & I walk into _The Waterhole_. Sheila is hovering around Jay, trying to take photos of him. He’s unimpressed.

“Sheila!” Aaron says as we approach.

She looks at us, & then looks at Jay. “You called tin reinforcements?”

“Actually, I texted just her,” Jay replies.

He raises his right arm to wrap around me, but at the last second stops. I see him nervously look at the other two.

“It’s okay,” I say quietly. “Az knows.”

He puts his arm around me & presses a kiss to my left temple.

“Well, that’s a better sight than last night!” Sheila says.

I smile. “Stop taking photos of him, Sheila.”

“But they’re for our social media!” She replies. “He won the competition. Which you would know had you stuck around for the voting & announcement.”

That affects me more than it should. I fight back tears. Aaron guides Sheila away.

“You okay?” Jay asks.

I nod “Yeah,” I reply. “I don’t know why that got me so much.”

He pulls me in for a hug. “You’re probably just tired.”

“Yeah, probably,” I reply. “Or maybe I’m feeling guilty for not staying professional last night.”

He pushes me back to look me in the eyes. “You did the right thing. Sheila’s just being too harsh. They didn’t need all three of you there to decide.”

I force a smile.

“How about we sneak out, & we can have a quiet day back at mine?”

“Sounds like a really good plan.”

He smiles. We then head out.

****

“Erin,” Jay says, rubbing my arm.

I groan, snuggling into him more. It’s just too good being here to move.

“Come on, babe,” he says.

I open my eyes, turning my head to look at him. He smiles & presses a kiss to my forehead. I look at his TV, seeing the credits rolling on the movie we’d been watching.

“I missed the end,” I say.

“You’ll have more chances to see it,” he replies. “Besides, you needed the sleep.”

I look at him. “You make a good pillow.”

He smiles, chuckling. “Thank you,” he replies. “I think.”

“You’re welcome,” I reply, pushing myself up to kiss him.

“I should take you home.”

I pout. “Don’t you want me to stay the night?”

“I could be selfish & keep you all to myself for another night,” he replies. “But I was thinking how Felicity will want to see her mum.”

“Oh.”

“Can’t have that beautiful little girl missing her mum.”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Being so perfect.”

He smiles, leaning in to kiss me as he replies, “I’m not.”

“You are,” I whisper against his lips after our kiss.

“Just looking out for the most important girl in my most important girl’s life.”

I fight back tears.

“Awww, don’t cry!”

“That was just so beautiful.”

He smiles. “Just stating the truth. It’s how I see things.”

****

It’s dusk when Erin & I walk up the drive at hers. We reach the top when she stops. I turn back to her.

“What’s wrong?”

“Can I just call Mark, find out if he’s in there?” She asks. “Can’t we just slip in, grab a few clothes & take Felicity back to yours?”

I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her as she places her hands on my chest.

“Why don’t you want to be here?”

“Because we’re going to be met by an endless wave of questions from my hormonal crazy sister-in-law.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

She tilts her head. “You haven’t been on the receiving end of it yet.”

I smile. “I think I can handle it for one night.”

“Ha!” She says. “I can barely last five minutes of it!”

“You’re not alone this time.”

She smiles before kissing me.

Someone clears their throat & Erin jumps back. Tyler & Piper are walking up the last bit of the drive.

“Enough with the PDAs, sis!” Tyler says.

“Oh, yeah? Remember that when you get all lovey-dovey with Piper later,” Erin replies.

“Oh!” Tyler replies, faking being hurt. “But seriously, it’s good seeing you happy.”

She smiles. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome,” he replies. “Now… are you coming or going?”

“Coming,” Erin says. “Though I wish I could leave so I don’t have to be in the same room as Paige.”

“I don’t think you have to worry about that,” Tyler says. “After you & Az left, Mark gave her a long speech about it.”

Erin raises her eyebrow.

“So come in & see if she hounds you,” Tyler says.

Erin sighs. “Fine.”

She gestures for Tyler & Piper to go past & they do. I put my arm around her & we follow them up the stairs.

When we enter their house, Paige is sitting in the armchair while Mark is sitting on the couch with Felicity.

“Ah, the other lovers have arrived home!” She says.

Mark stands, Felicity in one arm. He steps past Paige just as she reaches out. He helps her to her feet, & the trio come over to us. Paige makes a beeline to me, throwing her arms around me. I hug her back.

“I’m so happy Erin finally went for it,” She says as we hug.

I catch sight of Erin fuming, reaching with both hands in Paige’s direction like she’s going to strangle her. Paige & I part, & Erin quickly drops her arms. She takes Felicity from Mark, smothering the little girl’s face with kisses.

“You staying for dinner, Jay?” Mark asks.

I nod. “That would be good. Thanks, Mark.”

He smiles as Paige quietly claps excitedly.

“You’re welcome,” Mark says. “We were going to get Chinese.”

“Sounds good.”

“What about Az?” Tyler asks.

“He’s on his way shortly,” Mark replies.

****

I quietly shut Felicity’s bedroom door so not to wake her. I jump a little as arms wrap around me, but relax against his chest.

“She asleep?” He whispers.

I nod, resting my head back on his shoulder. This is the first time all night that we’ve had a moment to ourselves. It’s a much needed break from being around Paige. She’s been fairly quiet about bombarding us with relationship questions, but has been giving us looks & asking Jay heaps of personal questions. So getting away from her for a few minutes with him is relaxing.

“We should head back out to the others.”

I shake my head. “Let’s go to my room.”

He chuckles. “Is it really that bad spending time with your family.”

“My brothers & Piper, yes.”

“Paige isn’t that bad.”

“You haven’t seen how bad she gets yet.”

He kisses my cheek. “Just ignore her. She’ll get over it soon enough.”

“She hasn’t dropped it yet & it’s been a month.”

“Hold on just a little longer,” he says. “Besides, you have me now.”

I turn around in his arms. “Can’t we just go to my room?”

“Just come back for a little while,” he says. “And then we can go curl up in your bed.”

I pout.

“I’ll make it worth your time later.”

I narrow my eyes. “You better.”

He gives me a quick kiss, before taking my hand & leading me back into the lounge. The others have set up a game on the coffee table. Paige is sitting in the armchair, Mark perched on the arm, while Tyler & Piper sit on the couch. Aaron’s sitting on the floor to the right of the table. Jay leads me round the back of the couch. He sits down & pulls me down so I’m sitting on his lap.

“Three teams of two & I’ll be the game master,” Aaron says. “Any objections?”

“Nope,” Tyler says. “But be prepared to be annihilated by me & Pipes!”

“HA! In your dreams, little bro!” I reply.

“Oh, game on!” he replies.

****

“Okay, we just need to roll a three or higher to win,” Tyler says, shaking the dice in his hands.

Jay & I currently hold the lead. We’re two moves from the end. Tyler & Piper are just behind us. Mark & Paige are three behind them. Tyler had been gloating for most of the game since they were smashing it. But luck swung my & Jay’s way shortly after, & we took the lead.

“Just hurry up & roll it,” Aaron says.

“What will you do if I don't?”

“I’ll make you go back fifteen places.”

Tyler gapes. “That's not in the rules!”

“I’m Game Master,” Aaron replies. “I can change the rules whenever I see fit.”

“Just roll it!” Piper says.

Tyler gives his hands one last furious shake, blows his fingers for luck, & then releases the dice onto the game board. We watch them bounce. It's an anxious few seconds, but they finally stop.

“Snake eyes!” Aaron declares.

Tyler groans, flopping back. I punch the air. Piper moves their piece forward two spots, onto the square one ahead of mine & Jay’s but one before the finish mark. Which means we still have the chance to win.

“Which one of you wants to roll the winning numbers?” Aaron asks as he picks up the dice for us.

“Oi, potentially winning!” Tyler says.

“You go for it,” Jay says. “Beat him.”

I smirk as I turn & take the dice from Aaron. I give them a quick shake & then toss them onto the table. One bounces a few times & then stops. The other rolls across the table, only just managing to stop before toppling off. Aaron checks each one. He then looks at Tyler, who is nervously waiting.

“Sorry, Gurtie,” Aaron says, causing Tyler to flop back. “Erin, you rolled a ten!”

“YESSSS!” I say.

Jay pulls me closer to him & I lean down to meet his lips. Paige whistles & we part, looking sheepish.

“Congratulations,” Mark says.

“Thanks,” Jay & I say in unison.

“And Ty?” Mark asks. “You're a sore loser.”

“Says the guy who came last.”

“I’m not the one complaining!”

“Well, this has been fun,” Paige says. “But I’m going to head to bed.”

“No! Stay & we’ll do a rematch!” Tyler says.

“Uh, no. One time is enough,” Paige replies. “Besides, I have two babies who love to use my bladder as a kick bag.”

Tyler scrunches up his face. “Too much information.”

“Awww, poor widdle Gurtie.”

Paige gets up with Mark’s help. They say goodnight & head through.

“I should go home,” Piper says.

“Nooo,” Tyler says. “Stay.”

She sighs. “I don't know, Ty.”

He nods slowly & looks down.

“You're such a toddler!” She says, shaking her head.

She stands & walks away. She stops, looks down at him. “You coming or what?”

He leaps up as he grins. They say goodnight, & I chuckle as I watch him follow her through to his bedroom. She still looks annoyed.

Aaron’s packing up the game. I get up & start helping, Jay joining in.

“I thought you two would want to head to bed too,” Aaron says as we pack up.

“And leave you here cleaning up? Not a chance,” I reply. “Besides, there’ll be a queue for the bathroom.”

He smiles. “True.”

****

We get into my bed & Jay flicks off the lamp. We get comfortable, Jay lying behind me. He wraps his left arm around me, hooking his hand around my right side, & pulls me even closer so my back is flush against his.

“Comfortable?” He asks.

“Yep. You?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

He kisses my shoulder. A part of me wants to make love to him, but I know we’ll get carried away & we won’t sleep for half the night. So I just lean back more against him. It feels so good to lie here in his arms. To have his warmth against my back. I never realised how much I’ve missed this.

****

It's 9am when I make my way through to the kitchen for a drink. Everyone else, including Piper, are still asleep. After all, it’s Sunday. I’m gulping down a glass of water when there's a knock at my door. Frowning, I place the glass down on the bench & cross to the door. I open it, shocked to see Mavi standing there. She walks past me without a word.

“Sure, let yourself in,” I say, shutting the door.

I turn to face her.

“I know it's been a _really_ long time since we broke up,  & it's a shock to see me here.”

“Yeah, it is,” I say. “A huge shock.”

“I’ve been missing you lately,” She says. “Initially I was okay, but lately I can't get you out of my head & I had to come & see you.”

“I’m with Piper now.”

She raises an eyebrow. “You're still with that little schoolgirl?”

“Yeah.”

“Dump her.”

“ _What?_ ”

“You heard me. Dump her.”

“No.”

“You & I belong together.”

“Do you even remember how we broke up?”

“Whatever you have with her is just a little infatuation, that's going to sizzle out sooner rather than later,” she says, stepping closer. “But we always had lots of fun. We’ll out last what you have with her.”

I shake my head. “I’m with Piper,” I reply. “I love her.”

“But you love me.”

“ _Used_ to.”

She steps even closer, placing a hand on the back of my head before I can step back. She pulls my head down, pressing her lips to mine. I try to pull back, but she holds me close.

“What the _hell?!_ ”

Mavi pulls back, smirking. I look over to Piper, who is standing in the doorway to the bedrooms in one of my shirts.

_Shit._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will happen now that Piper's seen Mavi kissing Tyler? Can Tyler & Piper save their relationship?


	43. The Wedge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mavi causes trouble for Tyler & Piper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had fun with the first scene. And I hope you enjoy it all.

“Oh, look! Little schoolgirl trying to look older by wearing your shirt as a dress,” Mavi says. “How cute.”

“At least I don't go around kissing other women's girlfriends,” Piper replies.

“No, but you stole him from me.”

“No I didn't.”

“Don't you remember what happened at his brother's wedding?”

“You broke things off with him.”

“Yeah, because it was clear he was more interested in you than he was me.”

“And you think kissing him now is gonna magically win him back?”

“Maybe,” Mavi says. She smirks. “But it's definitely made you mad. So that's a win.”

“Oh, you little-”

“ _Piper_ ,” I warn her.

“Awww, don't ruin the fun, babe,” Mavi says. “I wanna see what she does.”

"He's _not_ your babe.”

“Oh, little girl, he was _mine_ a _long_ time before you came along.”

Mavi steps closer to me, clearly planning on getting all handsy to drive Pipes mad. I step back, but bump into the front door. Mavi steps closer & I swallow the lump in my throat. She places her hands on my bare chest, & I quickly put my hands up, away from her.

Mavi looks over her shoulder at Piper, & I see her face shift as she smirks. She looks at me again.

“Don't do it, Mavi,” I tell her.

“Do what?” She replies. “You know you want me. I can feel you're breathing faster. The way you would whenever I teased you right before we made love.”

“Maybe that's because you’ve got me pinned against my front door in front of my girlfriend.”

“Or maybe I’m right & you want me as much as I want you,” she says, before leaning in closer. “How hot would it be if you & I made love while the little schoolgirl watches?”

“Not gonna happen.”

“You say that now,” She says. “But once I start, you’ll love it. Just like you always have.”

She keeps her eyes locked with mine, her hands slowly sliding down my chest, her right fingers slipping beneath the top of my sweat pants…

****

Watching her slowly slide her hands down him is enough to make me snap. I run over, yanking her by her shirt backwards. I let go, watching her fall backwards.

“PIPER!”

I ignore him, filled with anger & the need to make her pay. We fight- hitting, kicking, & pulling each other’s hair- & scream insults as we roll around on the floor. I dig my fingernails into her forearms, dragging them down like nails on a chalkboard. She screams out & then slaps my face repeatedly- alternating hands just to make it hurt more.

Eventually Tyler manages to pull us apart, his arms wrapping around me so my arms are pinned to my sides.

"Let me go, Ty!"

“No!”

“What the hell is going on out here?” Mark asks as he enters the room.

Mavi gets up.

“Hi Mark,” she says, acting innocent. “Piper here attacked me. I want to press charges!”

Mark frowns at her. He then looks at Tyler & me. I’m still struggling to free myself.

“Tyler?” Mark asks.

“Mavi started it,” Tyler replies, with a grunt from the effort of keeping me in his arms. “She's trying to get me back, so she intentionally did things to set Pipes off. _Will you stop it, Pipes?_ ”

“Not until that skank gets what she deserves.”

“Okay, it is _way_ too early for this,” Mark says. “Mavi, you need to leave.”

“ _WHAT?!_ ” Mavi & I both say.

“This is over,” Mark says. “And this is our house, so you need to leave right now, Mavi.”

She crosses her arms. “Not until that little immature brat apologises.”

Mark rolls his eyes. He steps over, grabs Mavi’s arm & escorts her over to the front door. I struggle to get free, desperate to give her one more slap, but Tyler holds me tighter. Mark guides her out the front door. She turns back & opens her mouth to complain, but Mark shuts the door hard enough it slams a little.

Mark turns around to face us & Tyler finally lets go of me.

“Do I need to know the full story?” Mark asks.

“Just that if I see her again, I’m going to rip her hair out.”

“Pipes, you need to calm down.”

“ _No!_ ” I snap. “I walk out & she's there _kissing_ you. And then the smug bitch thinks it’s okay to try  & force you into having sex while I’m standing right there!”

Mark sighs, rubbing his hand over his face. “You two need to sort this out,” He says. “But not right now. Leave it for a few hours. Let Piper calm down. And let the rest of us sleep.”

“Sounds good,” I reply. I head for the bedrooms.

“Where are you going?” Tyler asks.

“To get dressed so I can go home.”

“Pipes.”

I stop in the doorway to the bedrooms, & look back at him. “I need time alone.”

****

“Mumma!” Felicity says.

I open my eyes, finding Felicity sitting there. And behind her, Jay. Felicity crawls to me, & I pull her up onto my stomach.

“Hey, baby girl.”

“Mumma!”

I smile as Jay shifts closer.

“She was crying,” he says. “So I thought she could come see you.”

“Awww,” I say, rubbing her back soothingly.

“Dadda!” Felicity says, reaching for Jay.

“Felicity, baby, that's Jay.”

“Dadda!”

I look at Jay, apologetically. “Sorry.”

He shrugs. “I don't mind it.”

“Really?”

“Do you really expect your almost two year old to be able to say Jay?”

I look at her. “Felicity. Can you say ‘Jay’?”

She looks blankly at me.

“Come on, baby. Say it. Say ‘Jay’.”

She looks at him. “Dadda!”

I sigh. Jay tickles Felicity's tummy.

“It's fine, Erin,” he says. “I honestly don't mind.”

“But I do! She should learn your real name.”

“Well, until she can. She can call me Dadda.”

I shake my head.

“Just embrace it,” he says, leaning in & kisses me.

“You won't let me stop it, will you?”

“Nope,” he replies as he lies down on his back beside me.

Felicity crawls onto his chest, Jay welcoming her with a smile as he holds her for support. He's always been so good with her. So maybe her calling him ‘Dadda’ isn't such a bad thing… _Maybe one day he really will be her dad…_

****

I open my front door, finding Erin standing there. She smiles as she lifts up a giant tub of my favourite ice cream.

“Thought you could do with this,” she says. “And a chat?”

I tilt my head. “You know.”

She gives me a sympathetic smile. “Thought you could do with someone to vent to.”

“How about someone who isn't related to him?”

“You need someone who knows you both really well,” she says.

I sigh, open the door wider & walk off. She comes in & shuts the door. I cross to the kitchen to get spoons & she settles at the dining table.

“Okay, rule one to comfort eating,” She says as I go to get bowls. “Ice cream _always_ tastes better eaten straight from the tub. No bowls.”

I cross to her as she opens the tub, handing her a spoon as I sit down.

“You first,” she replies, sliding the tub closer to me.

I dig my spoon in, getting a big scoop. I eat it as she gets a smaller scoop.

“So… What's your advice?”

“Firstly… From what Tyler told me, she deserved what she got.”

I raise my eyebrow at her. “Wasn't expecting you to take my side.”

“No, I’m just saying I would have done the same if I was in your shoes.”

“You seem too nice to get into a cat fight.”

She smiles. “I can be tough when I need to be,” She replies. “Take Eddie & his Uncle for instance.”

I nod. “Yeah, I forgot about that.”

“You know he loves you, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“He’s at home, going out of his mind trying to figure out how to fix things with you,” she says. “He's done nothing wrong.”

I scoff.

“It was all her, Pipes,” she says. “You know when he said he was with you, she pushed him to dump you for her. And when he said no, _she_ kissed him. He was trying to get her off him when you walked in. He was trying _so hard_ to defend his relationship with you.”

“He didn't try hard enough,” I reply as I get more ice cream.

“Don't let her get between you two,” she says. “That's what she wants. She _wants_ to cause problems for you. Make you fight  & break up. But he's madly in love with you, & no matter what Mavi says or does, he wants _you_.”

“What if that's not enough?”

“Then Mavi wins,” she replies. “Even if she doesn't end up with him, she still wins because she broke you two up. I know you love him too. I also know you're that you're hurting, but so is he. Don't punish him when he's done nothing wrong. He did the best he could to stop Mavi. Don't give up on him or your relationship.”

****

I’m half asleep on the sunbed in our backyard. All I want to do is go next door & beg Piper to forgive me. But I need to leave her be.

“To get a tan, you need the sun to be out,” Piper says.

I open my eyes. She's standing beside my sunbed.

“Hey,” I say, sitting up a bit.

“Can I sit?”

I nod & cross my legs so she can sit down. She purses her lips into a thin line.

“I’m sorry,” She says. “For getting angry at you before. It’s just… seeing her get all over you like that. It got under my skin &…” She sighs. “I lashed out at you because I was furious at her. And that was wrong. I’ve had time to think, as well as some time chatting with Erin, & I see that I let her get the better of me. You were trying to stop her, & I did the childish thing & played straight into her hands.”

“You did what you thought was right,” I reply. “Yes, it wasn’t the best choice, but… you see that now.”

She smiles a little. “I’m still sorry.”

I lean forward. “And I’m saying that I forgive you,” I reply, pulling her in & claiming her lips with mine.

I cup her face with both hands as we kiss, leaning back & pulling her with me. I uncross my legs & she straddles me, hands on my chest. She grinds her hips against mine & groan into her mouth. Her hands tug at my pants…

“We can’t,” I say. “What about my family?”

“Erin’s taken everyone out of the house,” She replies. “So we’re all alone.”

I raise my eyebrow. “And you wanna…? Here?”

“Shut up,” She replies as she leans in & kisses me.

We make love on that sunbed, over & over & over again.

****

I poke my head through the front door, finding Tyler standing in the kitchen. Alone. I push the door further open & walk in.

“Hey, where’s everyone else?” He asks as I shut the door.

“Waiting at _Harold’s_ for me to let them know it’s safe to come home,” I reply, walking over to the bench. I rest my arms on it. “So… Did it go well between you two?”

“We worked things out.”

I smirk. “Not going to pry, but… You might wanna take a shower before the others get home,” I reply. “Paige has some insanely accurate sixth sense at the moment. And I can tell she’ll be…”

He raises an eyebrow. “Point taken.”

He heads for the bathroom, stopping at the doorway through & looks back.

“Thanks,” he says.

“You helped me with her yesterday,” I reply. “Just returning the favour.”

He smiles, before walking out. I give him a five minute head start before texting Mark to say that they can all come home.

****

I pull up at the garage the next morning, sighing as I see Mavi standing by the roller door. I turn off the engine, pull out the keys & then get out.

“So how did the little schoolgirl take the news that you two are done?” She asks as I cross to her.

“I’ll let you know,” I reply. “When pigs fly.”

“Awww, is she giving you the cold shoulder?” She asks as I open the roller door. She follows me inside as she continues. “Why don’t we jump in that car over there & I’ll make you forget _all_ about that naïve girl.”

I turn around to face her. “You need to _stop_ , Mavi!” I say. “I’m _not_ interested in getting back together with you, okay? I love Piper. I want to be with Piper. I _am_ with Piper. You  & I… we ended months ago. On good terms. Please don’t ruin that now.”

“I’m just trying to reconnect with you.”

I sigh. “I get that, Mavi. But…” I sigh again. “I’ve missed you. But not the way you miss me. I missed talking to you about things, missed having you around. But I don’t love you anymore.”

She looks so shocked. Heartbroken. And a part of me feels sorry for her. But I also feel relieved that she finally understands.

“I’m sorry,” I say.

“Don’t be,” She says, putting on a brave smile. “I’m the idiot that thought I could just show up unannounced & you’d welcome me back into your life & heart.”

I nod. “Kissing me wasn’t the smartest move either.”

She closes her eyes. “Yeah, I did some ridiculously stupid things yesterday. I made an idiot of myself because I still love you & I underestimated what you have with Piper.”

“Come here,” I say, pulling her into a hug.

She sighs as she rests her head on my chest. “I’m going to miss you.”

“Keep in contact,” I reply. “Just because we’re over romantically, doesn’t mean I don’t care about you still.”

She pulls back. “I’d love that,” She replies. “But I won’t. At least not for a while. I need some time to heal. To get over you.”

I purse my lips together into a thin line & nod. “I understand.”

“I hope that you have a happy future.”

“You too.”

“Please tell Piper that I’m sorry.”

I nod. “I will.”

She reaches up & kisses my cheek, slowly withdrawing. “Goodbye, Tyler.”

“Goodbye Mavi.”

I watch her walk out. I sigh & then get started on my work.

****

“Hey,” Piper says, smiling at me as she crosses the courtyard to me just as I exit _Harold’s_ with a coffee.

She’s wearing her school uniform, her schoolbag hanging off one shoulder. She reaches up & kisses me.

“Hey,” I reply, placing my free hand on her hip.

“I was gonna meet you at the garage, but it was closed. I guessed you were on a coffee run, so I came here.”

“Well, you found me,” I reply, smiling.

She grabs my shirt & pulls me down, giving me a hot kiss.

“What was that for?” I ask, lips brushing hers.

“I’ve been wanting to kiss you all day.”

I smile. “Missed me, huh?”

“Like crazy,” She replies. “Walk back to the garage with you?”

I nod. I take her hand in mine & we walk off. She talks about her day, I tease her occasionally, & things are good. And I wonder if I should ruin the happiness by mentioning Mavi coming to see me.

“What’s wrong?” She asks.

“Hmmm?”

“You’re frowning. The way you do when you’re thinking hard over something.”

I look up, finding that we’re outside the garage. I usher her up & inside the side door.

“Just stand there & listen to everything I have to say before you react, okay?”

“Tyler, you’re freaking me out right now.”

I sigh. “Mavi came & saw me here this morning.”

“She _what?!_ ”

“Just listen,” I reply. “She was still pushing me, trying to win me back. But I talked to her. I told her that I am over her. That I don’t love her anymore…” I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m in love with you. And that’s all that I want.”

“Why would you talk to her? After what she’s done to _us_?”

“To clear the air!” I reply. “To make it clear to her that I’m not interested in her.”

She just looks at me. I step closer, but she steps back.

“Pipes.”

She shakes her head. “I can’t.”

“Pip-”

“I can’t do this right now,” She says, fighting back tears.

I step closer, wanting to wrap my arms around her & take away the pain. But she steps away, ducking past me & hurries over to the side door. She slips out without looking back. I rub my hands over my face & sigh.

_How did this go so wrong?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this the end for Typer? Or will they be able to fix things? What's got Piper running from him?


	44. Just Call My Name (I'll Be There With You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As one drama is resolved, a bigger one strikes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy :) (yeah, being vague as hell, but I don't care! Mwhahahahaha!)

Tyler comes through the front door as Mark & I are prepping dinner, & shuts it rather forcibly.

 

“What's with the foul mood?” Mark asks.

 

“How is it that the Willis women can forgive us one minute & then go back to hating us?” Tyler asks.

 

Mark looks at me confused. Then it hits.

 

“Piper,” I reply.

 

Tyler nods as he sits down at the bench. “I thought we’d put it behind us.”

 

“What happened?” I ask.

 

“Mavi came to the garage.”

 

I raise my eyebrow, noting a similar reaction from Mark.

 

“She was trying to talk me into basically cheating on Piper. But I set her straight. I told her that I love Piper, & that I choose her over Mavi.”

 

“Did Piper see this?” I ask.

 

“No, it was this morning when Pipes was at school,” he replies. “But…” He sighs. “Pipes found me this afternoon outside _Harold's_ when I got a coffee, & we talked on the way back to the garage. It was going well, we were happy, &… I wondered if I should tell her about Mavi.”

 

“Oh god, you did!”

 

“She picked that I was thinking about something. And I figured that I should be honest with her. Mavi's gone for good this time, &… I thought she should know that we don't have to worry about her,” he says. “I thought she'd appreciate the honesty rather than hiding it from her.”

 

“Yeah, but… Telling her your ex visited you at work while she was at school?” Mark asks.

 

“What Mark’s trying to say is… Look at it from Piper’s point of view,” I say. “She's feeling insecure ever since she saw Mavi kissing you. Yes, you made up, but… She finds out you saw Mavi again? That's going to hurt her, Ty. I get that you were being honest with her, & that's good of you. But… It's a very sensitive topic. She feels threatened.”

 

“What do I do to fix it, Erin?”

 

He looks so defeated.

 

“Give her time to calm down,” I reply. “Work things out tomorrow.”

 

“Really?”

 

I nod. “I know you want to work it out right now, but… I’ve had experience handling this. Not gonna go into details, but… You just need to give her space & then talk to her tomorrow. She needs time to see things clearer.”

 

****

 

“I’ll leave you two it,” Mum says.

 

I look up to see her head back in to our house, Erin standing near the table.

 

“Tyler told you,” I say, slumping back in my chair.

 

“Yeah, but… Not here to discuss my lovesick baby brother,” She replies, sitting down next to me. “Remember a couple of months ago, when I had that week from hell thanks to Eddie? We agreed to be there for each other. Our little sisterhood with Paige.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Well… I know what it's like for you right now. Having a relationship threatened by an ex-girlfriend. And I thought you could use some advice.”

 

I narrow my eyes. “I thought you weren't here to talk about your brother?”

 

She smiles. “I'm not. I'm gonna tell you about my idiot boyfriend from my university days.”

 

I raise an eyebrow. “The use of ‘idiot’ gives a hint things didn't go well.”

 

She nods. “When we started dating, he hadn't been out of a relationship for long. Which, in hindsight, should have been a warning sign,” she says. “Things were going well for us… & then his ex came back into his life. They… Eventually got back together. And I spent the rest of the year watching their PDAs every single day because he was in most of my lectures.”

 

“Sounds like a jerk.”

 

“Yeeeah,” she replies. “I’d use stronger language, but… Yeah.”

 

I smile. “But… How does that help me?”

 

“I don't want you to make the same mistake with Tyler,” She says. “I had the chance to be with my uni boyfriend. He chose me over his ex. But I let his ex get under my skin, & that caused things to self-destruct. I see that you're on the edge of that right now.”

 

“What do you want me to do?”

 

“Telling him how you feel would be a good start,” She replies. “I know that you're feeling insecure right now. But he chose you. He was trying to tell you that Mavi is _gone_. She understands that he’s with you. That there's _no_ chance that he's going to leave you for her.” She leans forward. “I know how you feel right now. When your first love starts to get shaky,  & instead of standing tall & with him, you run away because it's easier to hide away than face it. But you’ve been through so much since you started dating my brother, & I know that having Mavi back is crushing you. You have nothing to worry about. So just let him in.”

 

“I… I'm not sure.”

 

“Sleep on it,” She replies. “A new day always helps.”

 

I smile. “Thank you.”

 

She smiles. “Always happy to help you.”

 

She stands & turns to go. I stand & stop her. I hug her. She's taken off guard but hugs back.

 

****

 

“How did it go?” Mark asks as I walk in the front door.

 

I nod. “Good.”

 

He nods. “That's good,” he replies. “Mopey has retreated to his bedroom.”

 

I tilt my head as I cross to him. “Don't call him that.”

 

“It's true. He's acting like a toddler.”

 

“His relationship is crumbling, give him a break,” I reply. “You were like that too when you were his age.”

 

He scrunches up his face. “Don't remind me of that time.”

 

“Well, be more sympathetic to our baby brother,” I reply. “Just be there for him tonight. Until he can talk to Piper & work things out.”

 

He nods, before draping an arm around my shoulders. “You're a good sister.”

 

“Learnt from you.”

 

He smiles slightly. “You seem to have the knack of talking them through this,” he says. “You're gonna be _amazing_ when Felicity needs relationship advice.”

 

I scoff. “No I won't.”

 

"Yeah you will," he replies, before kissing my temple.

 

“You’ll be good at it too.”

 

“Oh god! I’m actually dreading the day my daughter starts dating.”

 

I smirk. “Between you & Paige, the boys will be keeping their distance.”

 

“Oh, they better!”

 

I stifle my laughter.

 

“But you’ll be there, being the best auntie ever to give her advice.”

 

“Yeah, like how to get her parents to stop being so fiercely protective of her & let her live her life.”

 

“Don't push your luck.”

 

I shrug. “Just telling the truth,” I reply. “You're also going to be a good role model for Felicity when she's older. It's really good that she has you, Az & Ty. She needs as many male role models in her life as she can, given her father isn't in the picture.”

 

He frowns. “Things that bad between you & Zack?”

 

“Haven't talked to him since Felicity was kidnapped.”

 

“Wow.”

 

“That sort of betrayal isn't easy to forgive & forget,” I reply. “Even though he was scared & threatened. That doesn’t justify risking our daughter’s life like that.”

 

He nods. “Can't imagine being put in that position.”

 

“Exactly why I’m glad that we have you.”

 

“What about Jay?” He asks. “Do you see him as a good role model for Felicity?”

 

“Yeah,” I reply. “Felicity adores him.” I look a little awkward. “She now calls him ‘dadda’.”

 

He raises an eyebrow. “And?” He asks. “What do you think of that?”

 

I shrug. “I don't know,” I reply. “I don't want to let her get in the habit of calling him that.”

 

He frowns. “Why not?”

 

“Because I’m…” I sigh. “I’m scared that things won't work out with Jay, &… I don't want Felicity adjusting to him. I don't want her calling him ‘dadda’. Because what if he isn't around anymore? How do I explain to her that yet another father figure has left?”

 

“Don't be so scared, Aer,” he says. What if Jay is who you're meant to be with? Kids have this weird ability of sensing things. What if Felicity calling him that is a sign?”

 

I hesitate- _do I have a response????_

He smiles reassuringly. “When you're torn like this, & you don't know whether to listen to your heart or your mind,” he says. “And trust me, I made the wrong choice several times with Paige… You should follow your heart. No matter how great the risk is. You gotta have faith in your relationship. Have faith in your heart.”

 

I smile, fighting back tears.

 

“Come here,” he softly says, pulling me in for a hug.

 

****

 

**The next day**

 

I stop on my driveway, seeing Tyler heading down the stairs for his car. I dump my bag & cross my front lawn & stop on top of the dividing wall. He falters when he sees me standing there.

 

“Hey,” I say, smiling.

 

“Hey,” he replies. “Don't you have school?”

 

I nod. “I think we should talk.”

 

“Don't be late.”

 

“Oh, come on! I'm trying to make up with you!”

 

“Yeah, & I don't want it to make you late for school.”

 

“Well I have a study period first thing, so it's not a bother,” I reply, as I lower myself down onto his driveway. “So let's talk.”

 

“Just get it over & done with, then.”

 

I look confused. “What?”

 

“You're gonna dump me, right?”

 

“ _No_ ,” I reply. “Do you want me to?”

 

“No,” he replies. He sighs. “It feels like you were.”

 

I place my hands on his cheeks. “I don't want to dump you, you fool,” I reply. “I love you too much to lose you. Yes, I hate that Mavi got between us, but I’m angrier at myself than I am at you.”

He sighs, leaning forward & resting his forehead on mine as he closes his eyes.

 

“I'm sorry,” I whisper.

 

He kisses me, pulling my hips closer to crash my body into his.

 

“I’ll drive you to school,” he says.

 

I smile. “I’d love that.”

 

He smiles. “Good. Go get your bag.”

 

I grumble. “I don't wanna leave your embrace.”

 

"You can be in it again tonight.”

 

I smile. “I’m holding you to that.”

 

He kisses me again, & then I go & grab my bag. He pulls his van up outside mine & I climb in. He waits until I have my seatbelt on before he pulls off.

 

****

 

“Maybe you should be a couple’s therapist not a PR manager,” Jay says.

 

I frown, looking up from my work on the table outside _The Waterhole_. He’s standing beside me, one hand on the table the other on the back of my chair. He nods off towards the courtyard,  & I look. Tyler & Piper are sitting at a table outside _Harold's_ , looking very much loved up. I smile, happy to see that they’ve worked things out.

 

“Just cause I gave my baby brother & his girlfriend advice, doesn’t mean I should do it professionally,” I reply. “I just got them to see things from the other’s point of view.”

 

“Well, whatever you said to them, it worked,” he replies.

 

“I also spoke from experience, told Piper about something similar that happened to me.”

 

“You’re full of mysteries,” he says softly.

 

I look at him. “Maybe I am.”

 

He smiles before leaning down & kisses me. He sits down beside me. “What are you doing?”

 

“Trying to work.”

 

“Anything interesting?”

 

“Not really,” I reply. “I’m scoping out what _The Waterhole_ ’s rivals are doing so we can come up with different ideas to draw people here. It’s a big game of who can stand out the most.”

 

“Sounds thrilling,” he sarcastically replies.

 

“Mmm,” I reply. “But the fact that we’re connected to _Lassiters_ is a good thing. We can use that as an edge. Not just for reeling in customers, but also budget wise. Bigger budget means we can go more out. But I’m not going to let that get the better of us. Each event will be carefully kept within a budget.”

 

“Wow, you really do know your stuff.”

 

I smile. “My ex-boss was training me up to basically take over from him.”

 

“And you thank him by quitting.”

 

“Mmm yeah,” I reply. “That wasn’t where I intended on going with it. But thanks to Eddie, my plans changed suddenly & all that hard work felt like a waste.”

 

“Maybe you’ll go back there one day.”

 

“Maybe,” I reply. “I haven’t thought of that.”

 

He smiles. “In the meantime… I have you.”

 

I smile. “Yeah you do.”

 

He leans in to kiss me, our noses brushing when my mobile beeps with a text. I turn to get it & he sighs.

 

“Really?” He asks, as I see that it’s from Paige.

 

 _Firebird_.

 

“Erin?” He asks, hand coming to rest on my back.

 

“Uh… I need… I need to go.”

 

“Everything okay?” He asks, concerned.

 

“Not exactly,” I reply, showing him my mobile.

 

He frowns. “Firebird,” he says. He then looks at me. “As in… the code word for…”

 

I nod as I gather up my things into one pile. “Exactly why I need to go home. Find out what’s going on.”

 

“Here, lemme help,” he replies, taking the pile from me.

 

“Thanks,” I say with a smile.

 

“You’re welcome.”

 

I grab my handbag & we head for the carpark. I see Tyler & Piper are still sitting at their table & divert to them. Piper sees me coming, & points me out to Tyler.

 

“Hey sis,” he says. He then frowns when he sees my expression. “Everything okay?”

 

“I just got a text from Paige. She used our code word & I wanna go check on her,” I reply. “But I was wondering if you two would come too. I need to be able to leave Felicity with someone if we need to get Paige to the hospital.”

 

“We’ll come,” Piper says.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“No worries,” She replies as they get up.

 

The four of us head to the carpark.

 

“Shouldn’t we tell Mark?” Tyler asks.

 

I shake my head. “I wanna find out what’s going on first,” I reply. “I don’t want to pull him from work if it’s just a false alarm.”

 

****

 

“Paige?” I call out as I walk in the front door. Jay & I were the first ones home. He’d encouraged me to get inside while he collected my things off the backseat.

 

“Over here!” She calls from the laundry.

 

I hurry over, finding her bracing herself on the doorframe- her left hand clinging to the wood, her right on her bump. She looks terrified & in a lot of pain.

 

“Okay, take some deep breaths for me, okay?” I say, placing my hand on her back. “Let’s do the breathing together, okay?”

 

She nods. I guide her through the breathing technique she’d learnt.

 

“What’s happened?” I ask her, once she seems calmer.

 

“I was doing some washing while Felicity has her afternoon nap,” She says. “And there’s this pain all of a sudden & I don’t know what it is.”

 

“Have you felt it before?” I ask. “Maybe just a little, over the last few days?”

 

“There’s been some discomfort over the last couple of days,” She replies. “But I thought it was just cramping given how far through I am. But…” She groans. “Not like this.”

 

“It may be contractions,” I reply.

 

“What?! No! No, no, no! It’s too soon for that!”

 

“Hey, stay calm, Paige,” I reply. “It could just be a false labour. It happens.”

 

“Everything okay?” Jay asks.

 

I look over my shoulder, seeing him place my files on the kitchen bench.

 

“We need to get her to the hospital,” I reply.

 

He nods. “Tyler & Piper are outside.”

 

“Good,” I reply. “Help me get her into your car.”

 

We help her slowly towards the front door. We’re halfway there when Tyler & Piper enter. Both look shocked.

 

“Felicity’s sleeping, so stay here & look after her,” I tell them as they step aside so we can leave. “Tyler, I need you to call the hospital. Talk to Karl, let him know we’re coming in. If he wants more details, he can call my mobile.”

 

“Got it,” Tyler says, pulling his mobile out of his pocket.

 

Jay pushes the security door open with his foot, leading us out. We start making our way down the stairs.

 

“What about… what about Mark?” Paige asks.

 

“Let’s focus on getting you there & get a better understanding of what’s going on,” I reply. “Then I’ll get hold of him, okay?”

 

She nods, before crying out with pain. We get her in the backseat, Jay staying with her while I go round & climb in the other side, ignoring my seatbelt. Jay gets in, starts the engine & we’re off.

 

****

 

We’re halfway to the hospital when my mobile rings. “Hey, Karl.”

 

“Hey Erin,” Karl replies. “Can you give me more information on the situation?”

 

“She’s getting pains that I suspect may be contractions,” I reply. “They’re not very close together at the moment, but they’re very intense.”

 

“How far apart?”

 

“I’m not sure, but it’s not the final stage, not yet.”

 

“Okay, well I’m here waiting for you.”

 

“We’ll be there soon.”

 

“Good,” he replies. “And Erin?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I recommend you call Mark, let him know what’s going on if you haven’t yet,” Karl says. “There’s a good chance that she’s gone into premature labour, & you’ll need as much time as you can to get hold of him.”

 

“Okay, I’ll do that,” I reply. “Any tips on what to do with Paige till we get there?”

 

“Just keep her breathing as calmly as possible.”

 

“Will do,” I reply. “Thanks Karl.”

 

“You’re welcome. Call me if you need anything else.”

 

“Will do. See you soon.”

 

I hang up, turning my attention back to Paige. “Paige, hey. Focus on your breathing, okay?”

 

She nods, but then shakes her head. “I feel sick.”

 

She leans forward & throws up- & I watch it land on the floor.

 

“It’s okay,” I reply, handing her a tissue.

 

She wipes her mouth. I then hand her a bottle of water so she can get the taste from her mouth. I then speed dial Mark, putting my mobile to my ear & listen to it ring.

 

“Hi, you’ve reached Mark Brennan,” His voice comes & I huff in annoyance at the voicemail message. “I can’t come to the phone at the moment, so leave a message & I’ll get back to you.”

 

“Mark, it’s Erin,” I say into it. “You _need_ to call me back as soon as you get this, okay? It’s important.”

 

Paige screams out in pain just as I’m hanging up. _Hopefully that will give him an extra incentive to call me back_.

 

****

 

Karl & a nurse are waiting at the door to the hospital when we get there. Jay pulls up & I climb out as Karl opens the back door on Paige’s side. Together we help her out & into the wheelchair that the Nurse has. I shut the door & Jay pulls off to go park. We head inside.

 

“I think they’re getting closer,” I tell Karl.

 

He nods. “Doctor Brooke is waiting, she’ll be able to tell us what’s going on,” he replies. “Have you managed to get in contact with Mark yet?”

 

I shake my head. “His mobile keeps ringing out to voicemail,” I reply. “I’ve sent a text, but he hasn’t replied yet.”

 

“Keep trying.”

 

I get my mobile out again & call Mark. But it just rings out again.

 

“OH COME ON MARK!” I shout into it. “Call me back!!! What good is it that you’re a cop & I can’t get hold of you in a damn emergency?!”

 

****

 

“ _What?!_ ” Paige asks. “Premature labour?!”

 

She’s in a hospital bed, Jay & I with her, Karl & Dr Brooke, her obstetrician.

 

“I’m afraid that’s the situation,” Dr Brooke says. “Twins tend to hold a higher risk of premature labour.”

 

“But… but I’m only 31 nearly 32 weeks!”

 

Dr Brooke nods. “It happens, Paige. But you need to relax.”

 

“Everything will be okay, Paige,” Karl adds. “There’s a really good percentage of survival with prematures from 32 weeks.”

 

“How far through the labour is she?” I ask.

 

“She’ll be ready to push in a little over an hour at the earliest,” Dr Brooke replies.

 

“I need Mark,” Paige whimpers.

 

“I’ll get back on to calling him,” I reply.

 

I head out of the room into the corridor, getting my mobile out as I shut the door. I give his mobile another call, but when it rings out to voicemail I hang up. I then dial the station number.

 

“If you’re gonna ignore my calls, I’m gonna get answers from the station,” I mutter.

 

“Good afternoon, Erinsborough Police Sub-Station, Constable Holland speaking,” a male voice comes through my phone.

 

“Hi, can I please speak to Constable Mark Brennan please?”

 

“Who may I say is calling?”

 

“His sister,” I reply. “Tell him it’s an emergency & he _has_ to talk to me.”

 

“Okay, ma’am,” he says. “Please hold.”

 

I’m put on hold & I pace nervously. It takes a long minute on hold before it picks up again.

 

“Aer, what’s going on?” Mark asks.

 

“Oh my god, _finally!_ ” I reply. “Haven’t you seen my billion calls & texts?”

 

“I’m swamped with paperwork,” he replies. “I haven’t had a chance to respond.”

 

“Well you need to put it aside.”

 

“I can’t, Aer,” he sighs, & I can sense he’s pinching the bridge of his nose.

 

“Yeah, well I’m standing in the corridor outside Paige’s hospital room,” I reply. “Does that trump your paperwork yet?”

 

“ _What?!_ ” He says. “Oh my god, is she okay?”

 

“Not really, no,” I reply.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

“She’s gone in to premature labour,” I reply. “And she wants you here. And I mean that, Mark. You _need_ to be here already. So _please_ leave your paperwork.”

 

“Okay, yeah I’m on my way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Mark make it in time? Will the babies be okay?


	45. Hold On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birth of Paige & Mark's twins isn't an easy road. And things are about to get a helluva lot more dangerous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a lot of you will hate me for this. You may even call me evil. But it had to be done.

Sarge gave me permission to take one of our squad cars, & I used the sirens to get through the traffic until I approached the hospital carpark. I find a park, & quickly get out. I jog inside.

****

I come out of Paige's room to get more shaved ice for her, & cross to the nurse’s station.

“Erin!” Mark says, & I look up to see him hurrying over.

“Heyyy!” I reply, before giving him a hug.

“How's she going?”

“Hanging in there,” I reply. “She's freaking out, but I think that's more over the fact that she's barely 32 weeks than anything else.”

He nods. “Thank you for being there.”

“No worries. I said I would be on call if she ever needed me,” I reply. “Anyway, let's get you in there.”

He nods. “Wait, weren't you doing something?”

“Just getting ice, it can wait,” I reply, guiding him towards her room.

He opens the door just in time to hear her screaming.

“Hey,” Mark says, stepping past Jay as I shut the door.

“Mark!” Paige exclaims, reaching out to grab his hand.

He presses a kiss to her forehead as she grips his hand.

“I’m scared,” she says. “They're not meant to be coming yet.”

“I know, babe,” he replies.

“I was scared too, Paige,” I say. “But you have Mark. I had no one. In fact, Felicity was almost a premature. I got put on bedrest in hospital for a fortnight cause they gave me drugs to slow down the labour to give her a chance to develop more.”

“Why… Why can't they do that now?” She asks, looking between me & Mark.

Mark looks at me.

“Doctor Brooke says she is too far into the labour for the drugs to do anything,” I reply. “She says the best course is to let it go, & have them in NICU.”

“No, no, no, _NO_!”

“Hey,” Mark soothingly says, running his hand through her hair. “You’ve done what you can for them, Paige. You have to let them come out.”

She shakes her head. I walk around to her other side & sit down on the edge of her bed. I take her hand.

“It's scary, but you need to relax & just let it happen,” I say. “You getting stressed is going to make you tired, which not only will make it harder for you to give birth, but it's going to cause your little ones distress. It's more of a risk you being stressed than it is for them to be premature. So just breathe & relax.”

She looks terrified, but slowly nods.

“Okay, so just do the breathing that you’ve learnt,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile. “Why don't Mark & I do it with you?”

She nods. Paige & I start doing it, & Mark joins in, carefully watching us to pick up on what to do.

After a while, Dr Brooke comes in.

“Oh, good! Nice to see you made it, Mark,” She says. “I just came to check how things are going?”

“I’m going to wait outside,” Jay says.

I nod. “Me too.”

“Stay!” Paige pleads, squeezing my hand. “I need you here. You know more than I do.”

I smile. “Okay.”

I look at Jay. He smiles at me before exiting the room. Dr Brooke checks Paige.

“You're almost fully dilated,” Dr Brooke says. “Which means soon you’ll need to push.”

Paige looks scared again. Mark kisses her temple.

“You can do this, Paige,” he says.

“I’m not ready,” She replies, on the verge of crying.

“You are,” he replies. “I’m here with you.”

****

“Hey,” I say, smiling at Jay as I step away from Paige's room.

“Hey,” he replies, standing up & giving me a hug. “How's it going?”

“They're just waiting for her to be at the stage to push,” I reply. “It could be minutes away or an hour…”

“Well, the troops are here,” he says.

I turn around, seeing Lauren, Brad, Aaron, Tyler & Piper with Felicity in her arms coming over.

“What's going on?” Lauren asks.

“I was just filling Jay in,” I reply. “She's almost at the stage of pushing. She's also terrified because it's too soon for her to give birth.”

Lauren wrings her hands. “I don't know whether I should go in.”

“Actually, I think you should,” I reply. “She could do with seeing you. It might calm her down a bit. I’m concerned her stressing out will affect the birth.”

She nods. “I will go in.”

I nod & point towards Paige's room. She disappears inside. Felicity is reaching for me, so I take her.

“Tyler & Piper were telling us how good you’ve been with Paige since this started,” Brad says. “Thank you.”

I smile. “Happy to help her out, especially since I have the experience.”

“Well, I’m still thankful.”

“So what's going to happen?” Tyler asks.

“Since their babies are underdeveloped, they’ll be staying in the NICU,” I reply. “That's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. They’ll be there for about a month & a half, maybe more.”

“That's where Matilda was,” Piper says.

I nod. “But these two will probably be in the NICU for a longer time than Matilda,” I reply. “They're younger, so will need a longer stay.”

“How do you remember all of this stuff?” Tyler asks.

“Felicity was almost one,” I reply. “Thankfully the doctors were able to hold it off until she was full term, but I spent two weeks in hospital & had a lot time to research about premature babies. I wanted to have an understanding of it as best I could.”

“And you went through that all on your own?” Aaron asks.

“Can we not discuss it right now?” I reply.

The door to Paige's room opens, & they wheel her bed out. Mark’s still holding her hand, one hand on the top of her bed. Lauren follows them out, but comes over to us.

“Doctor Brooke says Paige is stressed & there's a chance her babies are about to go into distress,” Lauren says. “So she's moving Paige to a birthing suite that's closer to the NICU, just to be on the safe side.”

****

“Okay, Paige, get ready for one more push,” Dr Brooke says. “And… Push.”

Paige pushes, screaming from the effort & grips my hand.

“Okay, relax now Paige,” Dr Brooke says. “The first one is out.”

“Why… Why aren't they crying?” Paige asks, resting her head back despite looking very worried.

“He's not able to yet,” Dr Brooke replies, handing our baby son to a nurse.

I watch the nurse take him to one of the special cribs waiting across the room, where she & another nurse work on keeping him alive.

“Is he okay?” Paige asks, her panic clear in her voice.

“I don't know,” I reply, turning back to her.

“He's in good hands,” Dr Brooke replies. “Now focus on your other one, Paige. You’ll need to push again soon.”

“I _can't_ ,” Paige says, closing her eyes.

“Paige,” I say softly. “Look at me.”

She turns her head to me, eyes barely opening as she breathes heavily.

“I know you're tired, but you need to keep going,” I tell her. “You need to find the strength to help our other little one into the world.”

“I can't,” She says.

“You can,” I reply.

I hold her face in both my hands. She's so tired & drenched in sweat. And my heart aches to see her like this.

“Just a little bit more, okay, Paige?” I ask. “Just hold on a little bit longer. You can do it.”

She takes deep breaths, still breathing heavily & eyes drooping shut.

“Come on, babe,” I say, rubbing my thumbs over her cheeks. “You can do it.”

“I can't,” She whispers.

“You _can_ , Paige,” I reply. “Where's that strong-willed, fighter that I love?” I grab the damp towel they gave us & place it on her forehead. “Just a few more pushes, & then you can rest.”

She leans into my hand & I can sense that she's summoning the strength to keep going.

“Okay,” she whispers, lifting her head up.

I smile. “That's my girl,” I say, leaning in to kiss her temple.

“You should be feeling another strong contraction in a minute,” Dr Brooke says. “I want you to push when you feel it, okay Paige?”

She nods & I see her struggling to keep going. I hold her right hand with my right hand, slipping my left arm around her shoulders to give her head some extra support. She cries out as she pushes, gripping my hand tightly as her left hand grips the sheets.

“Good, Paige!” Dr Brooke says as Paige relaxes. “Okay, baby number two is crowning. Just one more push should do it!”

“Hear that, Paige?” I ask. “You're almost there!”

“I don't know if I can do it,” She replies, leaning her head back on my arm. “I feel weird.”

“Talk to me,” I reply. “How?”

“Sick…” She mutters. “Dizzy…”

I look at Dr Brooke for help.

“That's normal for a woman in your position, Paige,” Dr Brooke replies. “You just need to give me just one more push, then you’ll be done & you can recover.”

Paige screams out much louder this time. I watch as she forces every inch of her strength into the push.

“Relax now, Paige! Baby number two is out!” Dr Brooke says. “We have a girl!”

I look over as Dr Brooke hands our daughter to the nurse & cuts her umbilical cord. The nurse hurries her over to a special crib next to her brother's.

I smile as I turn back to Paige. She panting, head drooped forward.

“Paige?” I ask, worried. I put my right hand under her chin & lift it up. “Paige?”

“I…” She whispers. She swallows hard. “I can't… I can't breathe.”

“Relax, Paige, okay?”

But her eyes roll… Flickering at the top of her eye sockets.

“PAIGE?!”

The monitor hooked up to her beeps out of control- _flatline_.

“ _PAIGE!_ ”

Dr Brooke & a Nurse rush over. The Nurse guides me back & Paige slips from my arms. Another Nurse rushes in as they lower her bed so she’s flat & Dr Brooke starts compressions.

I look towards our babies- two small, fragile shapes fighting for their lives- & then turn back to Paige. I cover my mouth with my right hand.

_This is meant to be the most joyful day of our lives._

_Instead, I’m watching three members of my family fight for their lives._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will the babies survive? Will Paige survive?


	46. Heavy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's new family is broken, three quarters fighting for their lives. And he can do nothing but hope they all pull through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but packs an emotional punch. I cried writing some of it. Actually... Probably like 99.9% of it...

I walk the corridors in a daze, somehow making my way to where the others are waiting.

“Mark?” Erin says, but it's distant to me.

When I don't reply, she gets up & crosses to me. She places her hands on my arms & the world around me snaps into sync again.

"Mark?” She asks again, her concern written on her face.

I wrap my arms around her, burying my face into her left shoulder as I cry. She holds me tight.

****

Lauren & I sit down either side of Mark, having decided we should find out what's going on without overwhelming him with too many of us. He's leaning forward, elbows resting on his thighs & he's struggling not to cry. I put my hand on his back & rub in small circles.

“She gave birth to one,” he says. “A boy.” The slightest smile appears. “But then she was tired… So tired… And I had to talk her into finding the strength to keep going.” He sighs heavily, rubbing his hands over his face. “I _should_ have seen the warning signs.”

“It's not your fault, Mark,” I reply, still rubbing his back.

“An hour ago it was just our son & daughter who would be fighting for their lives,” he says. “And now Paige could die too!”

He breaks down & I pull him against me, holding him tight as I fight my own tears.

“I wanted to stay,” he says. “But they pushed me out. Something drew me back here.”

“You probably just wanted to be around us,” Lauren says.

We sit there in silence for a moment. Lauren looks at the others. She points to them & I nod- _they should know_. Lauren stands  & I watch her cross to them.

“I can't lose any of them,” he whispers to me.

“I know,” I whisper back. “Paige is a fighter. And so are your son & daughter.”

He sits up & I lower my arms. He nods.

“I hope so.”

“Why don't you focus on the fact that you have a son & a daughter?” I ask. “I think it's pretty cute that you have one of each. And you were right! You have a daughter to spoil!”

I give his arm a light punch & he smiles a little.

“I think I now know why I came back out here,” he says, looking at me. “A part of me knew you’d find a way to give me hope.”

I smile. “You already had it,” I reply. “I just helped point you in the right direction.”

He smiles as he pulls me in for a hug, pressing a kiss to my temple.

****

It's an anxious wait, but finally Karl walks into the waiting area. I rise to my feet as he crosses to us, everyone else following suit.

“Hi Mark,” Karl says. “Everyone.”

“Tell me you have an update,” I reply.

He nods. “Both babies have been taken into the NICU,” he says. “They're stable for now, but as expected, they're looking at at least a month’s stay.”

“See, good news,” Erin says, rubbing my shoulder.

I nod. “And…” I choke. I swallow hard. I try to get the question out, I _need_ to know the answer. But it sticks in my throat. The only thing I manage to get out is a whispered “Paige?”

“It's suspected she suffered a cardiac arrest,” Karl says & my chest tightens, fearing the worst. “But Dr Brooke & the Nurses were able to get her heart beating again.”

There's an audible sigh from our group, but none as much as me. Erin rubs my shoulder again & I smile as tears fill my eyes.

“I suggest you all go home & get some rest,” Karl says. “Except you, Mark. Paige is in the birth suite. She's unconscious at the moment, but I’m sure you’ll want to be there when she wakes up.”

I nod. “Would it be alright if Erin stays for a while? I don't think I can be alone right now.”

Karl nods. “Of course,” he replies.

We say goodbye to the others & then follow Karl through to the birthing suites. Erin links arms with me as we walk.

Karl takes us to one of the suite’s door & then leaves us. Erin quietly waits next to me, letting me make the call when we go in. I suck in a deep breath, preparing myself for what I’m about to see.

I open the door, Erin staying back to let me enter first. I stop in the doorway, hit hard by the sight of my beautiful wife lying in bed. She's unconscious, like Karl said, but thankfully she appears to be breathing on her own.

I fight back tears as I cross to her. I lean down & kiss her forehead. Erin pushes the visitor chair closer & I smile in thanks as I sit down. I take hold of Paige's hand as Erin gets a chair for herself & brings it over next to mine.

“She's going to wake up soon,” Erin says.

I nod. “I hope so.”

****

I force my eyes open, feeling that they're heavy. The room is blurry at first, but focuses & I see I’m in a birthing suite. I sigh as I turn my head to my right, my eyes instantly falling on my gorgeous husband & I smile as I watch him sleep in a very comfy looking chair. He looks so cute- his hands resting on his chest, head turned towards his left shoulder. I wish that I was curled up next to him in bed.

“Mark,” I say, finding my voice croaky. “Mark.”

He stirs, eyes slowly opening a few seconds later. I smile as they lock with mine.

“Hey sleepy,” I croakily say.

“That was my line,” he replies, leaning forward.

He presses a long kiss to my lips, & I moan into his mouth.

“You gave me one hell of a scare,” he says.

“Sorry.”

He smiles. “I'm just glad you're okay.”

I look around, realising our babies aren't here. I frown as I push myself up.

“Hey, hey, don't,” he says, placing a hand on my shoulder to stop me.

“Where are they?” I ask.

“Both are okay,” he says, giving me a reassuring smile. “Karl said they're in the NICU.”

My frown deepens. "You haven't seen them yet?”

He shakes his head as he sits down on the edge of my bed. “I’ve been here ever since Karl came & got me,” he replies, his right hand coming to rest on my left hip. “It didn't feel right seeing them without you.”

I fight back tears, but it's hopeless. He leans forward, pulling me the rest of the way & wraps his arms tight. I hold tight onto the back of his police uniform as I cry against his chest.

****

Dr Brooke gives me the okay to leave my bed. It's already after normal visiting hours, but this part of the hospital are more relaxed with their visiting hours, so Mark has stayed. Dr Brooke brought me a wheelchair. Initially I refused, trying to walk out of my room on my own… But the pain in my chest & between my legs is too much by the time I cross to the door, & I grip the doorframe. Mark wraps his arms around me for support as I cry.

Mark wheels me down the corridor to the NICU. Dr Brooke went ahead of us to ensure that our babies would be close enough to the window so we could see them.

“There they are,” Mark says, pointing to two side-by-side cribs near the other end of the window.

I push myself up, tentatively rising to my feet. I wobble & Mark’s hands suddenly rest on my hips. I summon my strength & take a step forward, eyes focused on our son & daughter. I hold onto the window sill with my left hand, Mark’s hands never leaving my hips as we slowly walk the width of the window.

Seeing them is heartbreaking. Both are in closed off cribs, hooked up to machines monitoring their vitals while one helps them breathe. Both wear no clothes, just a nappy & a little beanie- one pink, the other blue. I place my right hand on the window, fighting back tears.

Mark wraps his arms around me, stepping closer so his chest is pressed against my back. I relax against him, letting him support me up, & turn my head to look at him over my right shoulder, only to be met by his lips as he presses a kiss to my cheek.

****

We stand there in silence for ages, watching our little ones. Our family is broken & I can't do anything to fix it. I just have to hope that both make it through the next six weeks.

“They're so tiny,” She says.

“I know, babe,” I reply. “But they're fighters like we are.”

She fights back tears. “I just want to hold them.”

“Me too,” I reply. “But Dr Brooke recommends that we wait until at least tomorrow.”

“ _Whyyy_?”

“Give their immune systems a chance,” I reply. “Or something like that.”

She fights her tears, taking in deep breaths. “I don't want to wait.”

“I know, babe, I want to hold them so bad too,” I reply, giving her cheek a kiss. “But you need to get better too.”

“Can't we just go in? We’ve come all this way…”

“We can't, Paige.”

“This is _so mean_!”

“I know.”

“How are you so calm about this?” She asks. “Why aren't you angry, fighting to get in there & see them?”

“Just think about it this way,” I reply. “When we do finally get to hug them, it's going to be worth it.”

She shakes her head. “I can't wait.”

She steps towards our right, for the door, but I stop her with my arm. She tries to push past, tears streaming down her face.

“Shhh,” I whisper, resting my head against her.

I feel her start to fall, so I wrap my left arm behind her back. I slip my right arm behind her knees, lifting her up into my arms. She rests her head on my left shoulder, & I press my lips against her forehead in a kiss. I walk down the corridor back to her room with her in my arms. She snuggles her face into my neck.

****

He helps me back into bed. He presses his lips to mine.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he says.

He stands up & turns to leave. I grab his hand & he turns back to me.

“Stay,” I plead. “At least until I fall asleep.”

He smiles & then nods. I turn onto my right side & he lies down behind me. He shifts closer, leaving no space between us. His arm bands around my waist as he kisses my shoulder.

His warmth is comforting, & for a while I forget the toll this afternoon took on us. I fall asleep quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Paige is okay, but the road ahead for them & their children is long & uncertain.


	47. High & Low

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As things start to look up for Paige & Mark, someone else's life is put on the line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In advance (cause I really don't know what else to put here) I am deeply sorry if the final scene causes you distress.

I stir & he pulls me closer. He exhales, his breath warm on my shoulder. I open my eyes, the birthing suite coming into focus, & it all comes back to me- the fact that our babies were born yesterday, I almost died, & they're fighting for their lives.

I whimper, fighting back tears. Mark pulls me even closer, crushing me slightly, & kisses my cheek repeatedly.

“What's wrong?” He asks.

“I forgot what happened to us,” I reply, still crying. “And then it all came back to me.”

“Hey,” he says. “We’re going to get through this.”

“What if…”

“No matter what the outcome is,” he says, turning my head to look at him. “We’ve got each other.”

He leans down & kisses me. I sigh against his lips & turn around to face him. His mobile buzzes in his pocket, & he groans in annoyance as we part. He pulls it out & checks it.

“Huh,” he says.

“What?” I ask.

“It's a text from Sarge,” he replies. “He says he heard about our babies & he’s organised for my shifts for the rest of the week to be covered.”

“Awwww, that's so nice of him.”

“And he’ll make sure they pay me for them.”

I gape. “Seriously?!”

He nods. “See,” he replies, showing me the text.

I read it several times. “Wow.”

“I’m going to call him & thank him,” he says. “You’ll be okay for a few minutes?”

I nod.

“Good,” he replies. He gives me a quick kiss. “I’ll be back.”

“You better!” I reply as he gets off my bed.

He looks back at me as he smirks. I watch as he walks over to the door, opens it & slips out. I roll onto my back. _Hopefully we can see our babies much closer this time. Maybe we’ll get to hold them._

****

After breakfast, I go home to have a shower & get changed into casual clothes. I open Paige's suite’s door, finding her sitting up in bed. She's with Dr Brooke, but sees me as I shut the door. She smiles- no, grins- & claps excitedly.

“Someone's a lot brighter,” I say, crossing to them.

I give her a quick kiss.

“That's because Doctor Brooke just told me we can go see our babies!” She replies. “And not just stare through the window! We can actually go in & be _next_ to them!”

“That's good!” I reply, smiling. “I told you last night we would.”

“Yes you did.”

“Unfortunately, you won't be able to hold them quite yet,” Dr Brooke says. “I know it's going to be hard, but their lungs are underdeveloped & they need assistance from our machines to breathe. Until they’re able to breathe more on their own, we won't be able to have them out of their cribs.”

Paige nods. “Getting to be next to them is enough,” she says. “It's a step closer, & that's all that matters right now.”

Dr Brooke nods. “Just come down to the room when you're ready,” she says. “You’ll have to get dressed into our protective clothing. We have some waiting for you there. Anything else you need, just ask the nurses there. And you can spend however long in there that you want.”

“Thank you,” I reply.

“You're welcome,” Dr Brooke replies with a smile. “I’ll drop in later to see how you're all going.”

“We’ll see you then,” Paige says. “Thank you so much for everything.”

“All part of my job,” She replies. “I'm glad they're making good progress, even in such a short time.”

I smile. “They're fighters like their mum.”

“Oi, & their dad,” Paige replies, hitting me lightly.

“Just because they're doing well, doesn't mean they’ll be able to leave any earlier than six weeks,” Dr Brooke says. “Maybe a few days early, but nothing more than that.”

We nod.

“And how long can Paige stay?” I ask.

“I’ll have to double check our bookings, but I do believe we can have you here for almost the whole time your babies are in the NICU,” she replies. “I know you won't want to be too far from them.”

“I’d sleep next to them if I could,” Paige says.

“It's always hardest for parents of premmies,” Dr Brooke replies.

Paige nods. “I can't wait to be able to hold them.”

Dr Brooke nods. “And you will. In about five weeks. Their lungs will be developed enough for them to leave their incubator cribs.”

Paige smiles.

****

I place my hand on my daughter, being careful not to put too my pressure on her fragile body. The nurse had told us we could put our hands through the access holes if we wanted, as long as we followed the hygiene rules- which were to use the hand sanitiser upon arrival & departure, on top of the protective clothing. It's all to help support their immune systems, which aren't ready yet.

“She's going to grow up & be as feisty as you,” Mark softly says.

I look at him. He's standing by our son, his hands resting on the top of his crib, but he's watching me.

“And she’ll have you wrapped around her finger,” I reply, making him chuckle.

“While this one will be running round, causing trouble,” he says, looking at our son.

“Or he’ll be like you.”

“Whatever they’ll be,” he says, walking around to me. “We’ll love them.”

I nod. “I'm already crazy for them.”

“Me too,” he says. He wraps his arms around me & kisses my neck. “Just like I’m crazy for their mother.”

I smile, relaxing against him. “I'm crazy for you too.”

He kisses my cheek. “I told you you’d be a good mother.”

“You did,” I reply. “Neither of us expected it would start like this.”

“We’re all still here,” he says. “And we’ll all make it out.”

I nod. “I hope so.”

****

**Two weeks later**

“We should name them,” She says, as we sit with our babies.

“Yeah,” I reply.

“I’m sick of just saying ‘our daughter’ or ‘our son’,” She replies. “Sure it's accurate, but…” She sighs. “I feel like it will be nicer to name them. It's been a fortnight. And they're progressing really well. They deserve to be named.”

I nod. “I agree,” I reply. “Have any ideas?”

She thinks. “I’ve always liked the name James.”

“Mmmm.”

“Or Scott.”

I smirk. “And what about girl names?”

“How about you suggest something, before I feel like I have to name both of them.”

I raise my eyebrow & teasingly say, “Bossy, much?”

“You married me.”

“Mmmhmmm,” I lean in, stopping just before our lips meet. She inhales sharply, & I smirk. I give her a quick kiss, before leaning back. “What about Lilly?”

She frowns. “As in…?”

I nod. “What Lauren was going to call you,” I reply. “I thought it would be a nice gesture.”

She smiles, the one she gives me when I’ve just said something really sweet & her heart is melting.

“It's beautiful,” She says.

I wrap my arms around her waist. “I thought so.”

“Okay,” She says. “So we’ll call her Lilly.”

“Mmmhmmm.”

“And he’ll be either James or Scott…”

“How about James Scott Brennan?” I ask. “Or Scott James Brennan?”

“ _Oooohhh_ , that's hard!” She replies. “Which would you go for?”

I sigh, thinking it through as I rub her back. “Scott James Brennan sounds nicer.”

“Mmmm, yeah it does.”

“So we’ll call him Scott James Brennan?”

She nods.

“Lilly should have a middle name too.”

“Emma.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That was a quick response.”

She shrugs. “It just feels right.”

I smile. “Lilly… Emma… Brennan.”

She smiles. “I love it.”

“Me too,” I reply, rubbing her back. “I love both names for both of them.”

She smiles. “Me too.”

I lean down & kiss her. We look at our babies & she rests her head on my chest as I wrap my arms tightly around her.

****

“Hey,” She answers my call. “Where are you?”

“Hey. On my way back from _Harold's_.”

“Okay, I’m at the garage.”

Things had been tense for us ever since Mavi had shaken things up. We're still together, but our relationship had slowed completely down. Glacier melting slow. She’s been spending more nights at hers than sleeping at mine. That, I can take. But lately, she’s been avoiding being at the garage. So hearing her say she's there is a surprise.

“You are?”

“Yeah,” she says. She hesitates. “I thought I would drop by… Before I go home.”

“Oh?”

I can sense her pursing her lips into a tight line. “Thought you could do with some… Stress relief.”

I stumble slightly at what she's suggesting. “Are you… Saying what I think you are?”

She hesitates & I can picture her seductive smile. “Yeah,” She softly says. “I know you like me in my school uniform.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, suddenly feeling hot.

“You better hurry up,” She says. “Because you're going to want to get here fast.”

“What if I don't?”

“I’ll have to relieve my urge,” she says very seductively. “All on my own.”

I swallow the lump again. “On my way.”

“Just over at _Grease Monkeys_ ,” She replies. “If you're not here in five minutes, I’m using my key to get inside. And you better be here by then. Or I’m forging on without you.”

“I'm almost there,” I reply. “I’ll be there in less than five.”

I know she's smirking. “Good boy,” she replies. “See you soon.”

“Very soon,” I reply, before hanging up.

I’m walking up the road before the garage’s road, keeping a brisk pace to get there as soon as I can. A car screeches round the corner ahead, narrowly avoiding sliding onto the wrong side of the road. As it approaches, I catch sight of a young female behind the wheel. Who looks _a lot_ like Mavi. But they speed off before I can look properly. I turn around, watching the car speed off down the road  & disappear round the corner.

“ _HEEEEEEEELLLLLLPPPPP!!!_ ” A woman calls from around the corner towards the garage, making me snap back around.

Sensing her distress, I run down the rest of the road. As I turn the corner, I see a group of people standing in the middle of the road outside the garage. I race over, knowing someone has been hit.

I falter when I see who it is. I push away my worst fears, kneeling down & checking her pulse. She’s got a nasty gash to the right of her head, which is bleeding. Her right shoulder sitting out of place, definitely dislocated, & her right leg looks out of place too. But at least she's still breathing, & I sigh in relief.

“I’ll call an ambulance,” One of the bystanders says.

“Do you know her?” A woman asks me, & I instantly recognise she's the one who screamed for help.

I drag my eyes off her & look up at the woman, who is crouching on the other side of her. I nod, turning my attention back to her & I press my hand over her head wound to try & stop the bleeding.

“What's her name?”

It takes me all the strength I have to reply. Two words I never thought I’d say in this situation.

“Piper Willis.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Piper be okay????


	48. Through All The Darkness (Now Your Lights Surrounds Me)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Piper fighting for her life, will Mark believe Tyler when he identifies who hit her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Be prepared- very emotional chapter...

I pace the waiting room, feeling so helpless as I wait for news from Karl.

“Tyler!” Terese says, & I turn towards her voice.

She, Brad & Erin walk over to me. I give Terese a hug.

“What are you doing here?” I ask Erin as we part.

“I saw them just after they found out,” Erin explains. “I didn't think it was a good idea for either of them to drive, so I offered to drive them.”

“That's nice of you.”

She nods. “I also wanted to be here for you.”

I pull her into a hug. “Thank you,” I whisper.

“You're welcome,” she whispers back, hugging me tightly.

“What's the latest about Piper?” Terese asks as we part.

“Uh, she has a concussion,” I reply. “And a dislocated shoulder. But Karl suspects she has a broken leg, maybe a broken hip. He rushed her off for scans to confirm the breaks. And he’ll come tell us if she requires surgery.”

Terese & Brad nod.

“Where's Mark?” Erin asks.

“He's back outside the garage. Getting the statements from the witnesses,” I reply. “He’ll come by when he can to get mine & to see how Piper’s going.”

Karl approaches. “Ah, good. You're all here.”

“How is she?” Brad asks.

“I’m assuming you know about her head injury & dislocated shoulder?”

Brad & Terese nod.

“I took her for an x-ray, which confirmed she has a fracture to her right femur, with a deeper one to her right tibia,” Karl explains & we all gasp. “But I’m more concerned over damage to her right hip. Her right ilium bone has been almost broken in half, as well as damage to her ischium & pubic bones. They're already prepping her for surgery, but given she's still a minor, I need to get parental consent.”

“You have it,” Terese says. “I’ll sign whatever paperwork you need me to.”

****

Brad, Terese, Erin & I wait nervously after Terese signed consent forms for Piper’s surgery.

“You should go home,” I tell Erin. “Felicity will need you.”

“She's with Jay,” She replies. “And I’m not leaving your side. Not until we know more.”

“Mark,” Terese says, drawing our attention.

We look up as Mark walks over to the four of us, & we all stand.

“Hey, what's the latest with Piper?” Mark asks.

“Still in surgery,” Terese replies. “She has multiple broken bones & a concussion.”

He nods. “She’ll get through. The Willis women are strong willed.”

Terese nods. “How's the investigation into finding who hit her going?”

“I can't say much, but we have a car that we’re looking for,” Mark replies. “I need to talk to Tyler for his statement.”

I nod. “Can Erin join us?”

Erin & Mark look surprised. Mark ushers us away from Brad & Terese.

“I saw the car. It sped past me just after I finished my call with Piper,” I explain.

“What did it look like?” Mark asks. “I want to compare it to the description from the other witnesses, just to make sure.”

“Uh… A Toyota or Honda. Silver, I think,” I reply. “The details are a bit muddled.”

Mark places his hand on my shoulder. “I understand, mate,” he replies. “You're in shock.”

“Have you requested the CCTV footage yet?” Erin asks.

Mark nods. “Lucas is sending us the files for the garage cameras, & I’m still waiting to hear back from the others,” he replies. “Though Amy will be hard to reach, given she's away.”

“Has anyone identified the driver?”

“No.”

“I can.”

They both look shocked at me.

“Are you sure you saw them?”

I nod. “There was a moment when she faltered when she saw me,” I reply. “Just long enough for me to see her properly for a few seconds.”

Mark frowns.

“It was Mavi.”

They both gape.

“That's a wild accusation, mate,” Mark says.

“Think about it, Mark,” I reply. “She has motive.”

“I thought you’d sorted that all out with her,” Erin says.

“It _was_ her!”

“It may not be her,” Mark says. “You're in shock. There's a strong chance that it's someone else, & your brain is imposing Mavi into your memory.”

“No,” I reply. “I remember identifying her _before_ I found out Piper was hit.”

Mark & Erin exchange looks.

“Oh, come _on_!”

“Look, I don't want to jump to conclusions so soon,” Mark replies. “Let me see what the CCTV footage reveals before I go down that route.”

“Yeah, & in the meantime Mavi could flee.”

“Hey, just trust Mark, alright?” Erin replies.

“How would you feel if your ex ran Jay over?” Tyler asks. “Or if it was Felicity?”

The words have barely left my mouth & I regret it. But the damage is already done. Erin looks furious, like she'll punch me, tears brimming her eyes. She shakes her head as she turns to walk away.

“Erin,” I plead as she walks off.

“Give her some space,” Mark says, putting a hand out to stop me from following her.

“I… I didn't mean it.”

He nods. “She knows,” he replies. “But it still hurts.”

I rub my face & sigh. “I’m an idiot.”

“Well, yeah, but… You're stressed out.”

“I’ll let that backhanded insult slide,” I reply. “How's things with Paige & the twins.”

“Good. Making progress every day.”

“That's good.”

“Yeah,” he replies, nodding. “We’ve even picked out names.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Oh?”

“Let's just leave the reveal until we’re both not stressed out.”

I nod. “Sure.”

His mobile buzzes. He pulls it out, looking at a text.

"Sorry, I have to go,” he says.

“It's fine.”

“Keep me updated, yeah?”

I nod. He pulls me into a hug. He then leaves, saying goodbye to Terese & Brad on his way out.

****

It's well into the night when Karl escorts Piper into a hospital room. She's still unconscious from surgery, but at least she's pulled through. He gets her settled & then comes out to speak to Brad, Terese & I.

“Her surgery went well,” He says as we all sit down in the waiting area. “They were able to repair the worst of the damage to her hip & leg.”

We all sigh in relief.

“She's going to need a lot of rehabilitation,” Karl says. “She's going to have to learn to walk again.”

“We’ll be here for her,” Brad replies.

“I’ll take her to her rehab,” I say.

“We’ll take turns,” Terese says.

“I also want to be upfront with all three of you about the future,” Karl says.

“That sounds ominous,” Brad replies as I swallow the lump in my throat.

Karl hesitates. “As I told you earlier, her ischium & pubic bones were damaged,” Karl says. “They're the bones at the front of the hip. They’re delicate bones, especially in women, because of child bearing.”

Terese looks shocked. “ _No_ ,” she whispers.

“The surgeon was able to repair the bones,” Karl says. “He's put screws in to help keep the broken parts together while they heal, but there's a high chance that the ischium & pubic bones are going to be permanently damaged.”

“What are you trying to say, Karl?” Brad asks as he crosses his arms.

“If they don't completely heal,” Karl says. “There's a high chance she won't be able to be pregnant, with an even higher chance of serious complications to herself if she does.”

Brad, Terese & I are shocked. The image of Mavi in that split second I saw her in the car before she floored it jumps to the front of my mind. _This is all my fault._

I get up, & walk across the room. But there's only one place I want to be right now.

“Can I go be with her?” I ask Karl as I cross back to them.

He nods. “Of course,” he replies. “Her room is just over there.”

I nod before making my way over to her room. I open the door, feeling like I’m punched in the gut when I see her lying there. Her head is bandaged, her right arm in a sling, while she has a bandage from her waist all the way down her right leg. I shut the door, let out a heavy sigh before crossing to her left side. I sit down in the chair next to her bed & take hold of her left hand.

“I'm sorry,” I say, fighting back tears as I squeeze her hand. “If I’d just been at the garage, all of this wouldn't have happened.”

I bury my head into her mattress beside her hand & let the tears out.

****

I shut the front door & drop my keys on the bench as I head straight for the fridge. I grab a beer out & open it as I head for the couch. Brad & Terese had joined me at Piper’s bedside for a while before visiting hours ended & I took a taxi home with them since none of us had a car, given Erin had brought them & I’d come in the ambulance with Piper.

I sit down on the couch & drink half my beer in one go. _Where did all of this go wrong?_

****

I walk into the ward where Piper is & over to her room. I open the door, surprised to see her awake.

“Well, you’re a sight for sore eyes,” She says with a smile.

I smile as I cross to her. I lean down & press my lips to hers as I cup her left cheek.

“I'm so glad that you're alright,” I reply, resting my forehead against hers after our kiss.

“Me too,” She replies, before kissing me again. “Have they found who ran me over?”

“Mark’s working his butt off to find the car,” I reply. “He’s got a number of witnesses & CCTV footage, so the lead is good.”

“That's good,” she replies as I sit down in the chair beside her bed.

“Yeah,” I reply. “I saw the car.”

She looks surprised. “Really?”

“I was in the street just round the corner when it happened,” I reply, getting uncomfortable.

“What aren't you telling me?”

I swallow a lump. “It was… Mavi.”

She gapes. “You sure?”

I nod. “I can't get the image out my head.”

“You sure it's not your mind okaying tricks on you?” She asks. “You’ve had a lot happen. It could be your brain squishing two thoughts together.”

“You sound like Mark.”

“Hmmm maybe that's a sign that we’re both right,” she says as she tilts her head.

Before I can reply, she closes her eyes as she rubs her right temple with her left hand. I stand up.

“Are you okay?” I ask, reaching for her.

“I…”

She slumps back, her body going limp. The machines start beeping crazily. Nurses rush in, one guiding me out of the room as another undoes her sling & places her right arm at her side. I watch on through the window as they resuscitate her, feeling the world around me spinning.

Karl rushes in & gives orders as he takes over the compressions. I’m not sure how long it takes, but eventually he orders them to stop- the machine monitoring her heartbeat still showing a flatline.

“No, no, no, no!” I say, rushing back into her room.

“I’m sorry, Tyler,” Karl says as he holds me back from her. “She's gone.”

_NO!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It will all be explained next chapter!


	49. Too Young (To Make It On Your Own)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is Piper really gone?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delayed posting. I wasn't planning on having it this long. And it didn't help I had some technical difficulties the last couple of days either... But it's here now!

I sit by her side, her left hand cradled in both of mine. _She's gone because of me_.

The door opens & I look over in time to see the wave of shock & disbelief cross Terese’s face as she takes in her daughter's dead body.

“Oh my baby!” She exclaims as she walks over.

She touches Piper’s face, cradling it in her hands as she breaks down.

“It happened so fast,” I say.

“What does Karl say caused it?”

“They won't know for sure until they examine her,” I reply. “But he believes, based off what I said happened, that she had a brain aneurysm. A clot they missed is probably to blame.”

“My poor baby girl,” she says, stroking Piper’s cheek.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Karl says… He says if it was a clot, she wouldn't have felt it. She would have gone quickly.”

****

“ _Tyler!_ ”

I open my eyes, the ceiling in our lounge room coming into focus. My head is pounding, so I squint. I look around, finding Erin crouched in front of the couch, one hand on my shoulder. She's in her pjs- a tank top & very short shorts. Soft light filters through the window behind her- its early morning.

“What?” I mumble.

She raises her eyebrow. “ _What?_ ” She asks. “How about the fact that you were obviously having a nightmare.”

I groan. “I was?”

“Yeah, you were calling Piper’s name,” She replies, taking her hand off my shoulder. “Which I hear a _lot_ , but not usually in this way. You sounded very distraught.”

I rub my face.

“Remember any of it?”

I sigh. “That she was dead.”

“ _Fricking hell._ ”

I stare at her. “Thanks for the support.”

“No, I’m just shocked,” she replies. “And surprised. You really do have it bad for her, Gurtie.”

“That would be nicer if you didn't use that nickname.”

She smiles slightly, before looking at the coffee table. I look too, noticing the set of four empty bottles of beer.

“I see you hit the booze hard,” She says, looking back at me.

“Can you blame me? My girlfriend got run over & might not be able to have kids, & it's all thanks to my ex who won't take no for an answer.”

She looks shocked. “Pip might not be able to have kids?”

“ _That's_ the bit you focus on?”

“Yeah, it's news to me,” she replies. “I knew the rest of it.”

“And I blame myself.”

“Ty,” she sighs.

“If I’d just been there, if I hadn't decided to grab my coffee from _Harold's_ instead of _Grease Monkeys_ , she wouldn't be in hospital with a concussion, a leg that's broken in two places & a damaged hip that may prevent her from having children.”

“You can't blame yourself for that.”

“Why?” I ask. “I wasn't there-”

“ _Exactly_.”

“And it's my ex who did it,” I say. “Ergo… My fault.”

“Actually…” She replies. “It's Mavi's fault. If it is her that was driving…”

“It _was_.”

“Okay, so answer this,” She replies. “Can you control what Mavi does?”

“No.”

“Then you can't beat yourself up for this,” She replies, & I sigh. “You can't blame yourself for the actions of someone else, Ty!”

“Fine,” I reply. “But I can say sorry to you.”

She frowns. “For what?”

“For saying what I did say to you yesterday,” I reply.

Her frown deepens before she realises what I’m on about. “Oh, _that_. Forget it,” She says, batting the air with her hand. “You were struggling with the situation. I understand you didn't mean to say it. I’ve known since the moment you said it.”

“But you walked away.”

She smiles slightly. “It still hurt me,” She says. “I just needed space to recompose myself.”

I nod.

“Come here,” she says, holding her arms out.

I push myself up with a lot of effort & we hug.

“Now,” she says as we part. “I’m going to make you something that will help with that hangover you’ll be battling pretty soon.”

“Oh, it's definitely here already,” I reply, my head pounding.

“Well, this will help,” she replies as she stands. “You’ll want to be in better shape to be there when she wakes.”

“Yeah,” I mumble.

She walks off towards the kitchen.

“Hey,” I say.

She stops beside the couch & looks at me.

“Thanks, sis.”

She smiles. “You're welcome,” She replies. “Gurtie.”

I groan & she chuckles as she turns & continues towards the kitchen.

****

Walking over to her room has me reeling with a massive sense of déjà vu. It's startling how much I remember of my nightmare, given how drunk I was at the time. I pause at her door as a chill runs down my spine.

I hold my breath as I turn the handle on her door, exhaling in relief as I see she's still unconscious. _At least that's one thing different to my nightmare..._

I shut the door & make my way over to her left side, sitting down & holding her hand in both of mine.

“Just wake up, Pipes,” I whisper. “I _need_ you to wake up. I _need_ you to be okay.”

She groans & I sit up more. Her eyes slowly open, her eyes falling on me as I smile & sigh in relief. I drop my head, my forehead resting on our hands as I laugh.

“What?” She says, her voice croaky.

I lift my head, meeting her eyes. “You have impeccable timing, Pipes.”

She looks confused. I stand up, letting go of her hand as I lean over her. I cup her face with both my hands, pressing my lips hard against hers & she moans.

****

I call Terese, Brad & Mark to let them know as Karl checks Piper. He clears her, & we talk while we wait for the others to arrive.

“Oh, my baby girl!” Terese says, hugging Piper tightly.

“Mum! You're squishing me!” Piper says.

"I'm so glad that you're okay!” Terese replies, letting her go.

Brad kisses Piper's forehead & she smiles as she looks up at him.

“How much does she know?” Terese asks me.

“Know what?” Piper asks.

I swallow a lump in my throat. “I haven't told her any of what Karl told us yesterday,” I reply, watching Piper stare at me in confusion. “I didn't want her to worry. And I was so happy to see her awake.”

“Uh… Do I get to know now?” Piper asks, looking between me & her parents.

They exchange looks.

“ _Mum_!”

Terese sighs. “Karl says the damage to your hip,” She says, struggling to find the words. “It may not fully heal.”

“Oookay,” Piper replies, eyes narrowing. “What's so bad about that?”

Terese hesitates.

“Pipes,” I say, stepping closer. I sit down on the edge of her bed, careful not to bump her broken leg. “The damage is to your upper hip bone…” I hover my hand over her broken hip. “But also… The front.” I shift my hand to hover over the central part of her hip. “Karl is concerned that, given how important the bone is…” I swallow hard. “There's a strong chance that, if it doesn't heal like they expect it to… You won't be able to have children.”

She stares blankly at me.

“Piper...”

“It's going to be at least ten years before I even _think_ about having children,” She says. “How about we just see how it goes before we freak out about something that far away?”

“Piper, honey-”

“Mum, please don't.”

There's a knock on the door followed by a short pause before it opens, & Mark steps in.

“Hey, all,” he says.

“Hi Mark!” Piper says, cheerfully.

“Wow,” he says, surprised as he walks over. “Didn't think you'd be this chirpy.”

“What? Can't I be happy to see my handsome brother-in-law?”

He smiles. “How much morphine are you on?”

“Ha ha,” she says, flatly.

“I'm here to take your statement.”

She nods. “Assuming there has to be an adult with me when I give it, yeah?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

She looks at me.

“What?”

“ _Please_.”

“Your parents are right here.”

“You have work, right?” She asks, looking at her parents.

“I should be getting back to school,” Brad says.

“Mum?”

Terese looks at her watch. “I have a meeting shortly.”

Piper looks back at me. I look at Mark.

“Doesn't it have to be her guardian?” I ask.

“For something like this,” he replies. “Not necessarily.”

“Thanks for the backup, bro.”

“I'm sorry, but this needs to be done,” he replies.

“Isn't it a conflict, given I’m a witness?”

“Technically you'll be a prosecution witness, which puts you on the same side as Piper,” he replies. “Why are you so adamant to avoid it?”

_Because of the nightmare…_ I swallow a lump in my throat.

“We’re off,” Terese says.

She & Brad give Piper a kiss goodbye, saying bye to Mark & I before they leave.

“You're stuck with it now,” Piper says. “So please just sit there & listen.”

“Pipes...”

“Please, Ty,” she pleads. “I need you.”

****

“Is that all you need?” I ask Mark, watching him writing a note.

“I think that should do it for now,” he says, checking over his notes. Satisfied, he flips his pad shut. “I’ll be in contact if I need any more information. But we will need a formal statement from you at a later date.”

I nod. “Sure.”

“And call if anything else comes to mind.”

“Of course.”

He nods.

“How's finding-” Tyler says, cut short by Mark punching his arm.

“Finding what?” I ask as Tyler glares at Mark while rubbing his arm.

“We have a person of interest,” Mark replies. “But there's not much proof at the moment to prove that they were there. I’m waiting to hear back from that person, so I can establish where they were.”

“Okay,” I reply. “But… That doesn't explain why you punched Tyler.”

“Yeah, bro,” Tyler adds.

Mark sighs. “I don't want you to know who it is,” he says. “Not right now.”

I frown. “Why?”

He glances at Tyler. “You… Sort of know them.”

My frown deepens… Then it hits. “Mavi.”

Mark looks shocked. “How did you…?”

“There's a very short list of people I ‘sort of’ know,” I reply. “Plus… She's the one with the most motive.”

“Right,” he says.

His mobile buzzes & he checks it.

“We’ve found the car,” he says, shoving his mobile back into his pocket.

“Seriously?” Tyler asks.

Mark nods. “It's smashed up, whomever was driving clearly wanted it to be hard to match,” he says. “The number plates have been forcefully removed, but the Eden Hills team have found them in the muddy creek near by.”

“That's really good!” Tyler says. “It's progress.”

“It's not as much progress as we need,” Mark replies. “It's going to take a while for us to get it checked out by our forensics team, to see if there's any fingerprints. Which, going off how much damage was done to try & disguise it… It's probably going to bring up nothing.”

“Well, then, I guess you should go hunt down Mavi.”

“We _still_ don't know if it was her!” Mark says. “All we have is your word,  & frankly, given the situation, that doesn't have much weight.”

“She has motive!”

“Until I have substantial evidence to support it, I can't keep chasing her,” Mark replies. “I’m sorry, mate, but I have to play it by the book.”

****

In the evening, my door opens & Paige walks in.

“Hey,” she says, smiling.

“Hey,” I reply as she shuts the door.

“How are you?” She asks as she crosses over to me.

“Okay,” I reply as she sits down. “The pain isn't too bad thanks to morphine.”

“And psychologically?” She asks. “You were in a hit & run. You almost died.”

“I’m fine.”

“Piper.”

“Honestly, Paige, I am,” I reply. “These things happen. I’m happy that I’m still alive. Not everyone does survive. I can't change what happened. But I can change how it affects me to come.”

“You don't have to be so strong, Pip,” She replies. “It's okay to fall apart.”

“I’m fine,” I reply. “How's your twins?”

She tilts her head, eyes narrowing in response to my change of subject. “They're doing really well,” She replies. “We’ve picked their names.”

“Oh? Do share!”

“Scott James,” She replies with a smile. “And Lilly Emma.”

“Awwww! Lilly! Like you were going to be called.”

She nods. “Mark thought it would be a lovely tribute.”

“You definitely have a sweet husband.”

She smiles. “Too sweet, sometimes.”

“Hashtag husband goals.”

She laughs a little.

“So are you going to have a christening?”

“We haven't really talked about it, but… I’d like to just have a naming ceremony,” She replies. “Neither of us are religious enough to warrant the christening. And right now, we’re so focused on making it through their time in the NICU.”

I nod. “Understandable.”

****

“Hey,” Mark says, wrapping his arms around me & presses a kiss to my cheek.

“Hey,” I reply, relaxing against him. “How was your day?”

“Tiring,” He says, before sighing. “We’re making progress with the hit & run case, but… Still nowhere near making an arrest.”

“Its early days.”

“Mmmm,” he says, staring through the window at our babies. “Tyler's convinced it's Mavi, & I dunno if I should throw all my effort into finding her or wait for more evidence.”

“What does your gut say?”

He sighs. “Wait.”

“Then wait,” I reply. I turn around in his arms to face him & place my hands on his chest. “In the meantime… Doctor Brooke told me something exciting before.”

He raises his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“She's very impressed with Lilly & Scott’s progress,” I say. “So much… She's happy to let us _hold_ them.”

His jaw drops. “Seriously?!”

I nod excitedly. He kisses me.

“When can we do it?”

“Now.”

We go into the NICU, using hand sanitiser in the foyer room. Now that they're older, we don't have to wear protective clothing, which is a big time saver. Mark’s first through the door, & I smile at how keen he is to finally hold our babies. I’m excited too, but I’ve had time to get my head around the idea. As we approach their cribs though, my excitement levels shoot sky high.

“Who do you want to hold first?” He asks.

I sigh. “I don't actually know,” I reply. “I’ve been standing out there waiting for you, & yet I can't pick which one to hold first.”

“I know,” he replies, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “I’m torn too.”

I look from Scott to Lilly, looking back & forth for a while. But my eyes land back on Scott, & I know who to hold first.

“I want Scott,” I say.

Mark raises an eyebrow. “I was expecting you to go for Lilly.”

“As much as I want to cuddle my little girl,” I reply. “Scott was born first. It just feels right for him to be in my arms first.”

Mark nods. “Okay,” he softly says. “I guess it's time for my princess to have some daddy time.”

“Oh, stop being so cute! You're gonna make me cry!”

He smiles as he leans in & kisses my temple. The nurse comes over & shows us how to open the cribs. She talks us through how to lift them up, & the best position for them to lie in against our chests. We sit down in the chairs behind us. The nurse even offers to take a few photos for us, since this is such a big milestone, so I give her my mobile & she takes photos.

When the nurse leaves us, I look over to Mark. He's staring down at Lilly, lying on her front against his shirt. He's smiling at her, looking every part a natural. It fills me with so much joy & love to see how quickly they’ve bonded. I turn my attention to Scott, who is lying in the same position on my chest. Both are still connected up to their machines, but it's absolutely amazing being able to hold them. After a while, we swap over so we get to cuddle both.

“I can't believe how small they still are,” I say, looking down at Lilly.

“Mmm,” Mark replies. “But they're growing every day, which is good. Soon enough, they’ll be chubby.”

“And hopefully at home.”

“Oh, they’ll definitely be home by then!”

I smile. “I’ll need to get used to feeding them before then.”

“You're going to be fine.”

“Yeah, how about the middle of the night feeds? You know I’m expecting you to pull your weight with them!”

“I will happily get up at two a.m. to feed them if I have to,” he replies. “Any excuse to spend time with them.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

He smiles. “It's really good seeing you be so confident about being a mother.”

“There’ll come a day where I won't be.”

“And I’ll be there to support you.”

I smile.

****

“Well, you're a sight for sore eyes,” I say, smiling at Tyler as he arrives.

He gives me a forced smile as he shuts the door, & I frown.

“What's got you in a bad mood?” I ask as he crosses to me.

“Nothing,” he replies, before giving me a kiss. “Sleep well?”

“Nice try, Gurtie,” I reply. “You don't get to change the subject.”

He sighs as he sits down in the chair beside my bed. “Before you woke up yesterday,” he says. “I had a nightmare.”

"About me?"

He nods. “You…” He nervously licks his lip. “You died.”

“Oh my god, Ty,” I reply, reaching for him.

He takes hold of my outstretched hand. “You were awake when I got here, we were talking… Your heart hurt, & then…” He nervously licks his lip again. “That was it. You died. From a brain aneurysm.”

“Wow, you have a creative subconscious,” I reply. “A scary one, but… Wow. So what triggered you to remember that?”

“Your first words to me was exactly what you said to me when I arrived today.”

“Oh, shit.”

"So that's why I wasn't cheerful.”

“I'm sorry.”

He shrugs. “It's fine.”

“No it's not,” I reply. “Now come here. I wanna hug you.”

He gets up, steps over & we hug as best we can without me moving too much.

"So what's the timeline?” He asks, sitting back down. “How long must you stay in here?”

“They want me to rest up till the weekend,” I reply. “Karl wants to let my leg & hip have time to heal a bit post-surgery, & if the swelling reduces by the weekend, I can start having physio sessions to regain my ability to walk.”

He gives me a really cute smile. “That's really good.”

I nod. “Mmmhmmm.”

****

It's Friday afternoon, Tyler & I are playing yet another round of _Uno_. I’m winning,  & we’re both having so much fun teasing each other & laughing. There's a knock on my door & it opens. We both look as Mark steps in & closes the door.

“Hey, bro,” Tyler says.

“Hey you two,” he replies, walking over to us. “I have an update.”

“You could have just called,” I say.

He nods. “I wanted to tell you it in person.”

I raise an eyebrow. “That serious, huh?”

“Yeah,” He replies, digging his hands into his pockets. “It's actually a huge breakthrough.”

“Well, you have my full attention.”

“About half an hour ago, we had a surprise visitor at the station.”

“Who?” Tyler asks.

Mark hesitates. “Mavi.”

“ _What?!_ ” Tyler & I both ask.

Mark nods. “She just walked in, asked to talked to whoever is in charge of your case, which, as you both know is me, &…” He sighs. “She announced she's handing herself in.”

I drop my cards & I watch as they scatter across my bed.

“So she's confessing she did it?” Tyler asks.

“Sarge is making me hold her in the interrogation room for a while before I talk to her,” Mark says. “So I thought I’d take the time to come & talk to you both.”

“Can I see her?”

Both of them look at me, brows furrowed.

“Pip?” Tyler asks.

“You heard me,” I ask. “Can I see her?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Piper is okay. But why does she want to go talk to Mavi?


	50. The Past & The Future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper faces Mavi, with surprising results. By the time Mark & Paige's twins' naming ceremony comes around, Piper's recovery makes a huge leap in progress. There's a familiar face that arrives. Meanwhile, one couple has a serious discussion- but is it the start of trouble?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The big 50th Chapter! Whaaaat?! Can't believe it's up to 50!!! That's my longest released fic ever! Wow! So throwing in a lot this chapter. Closing off a few things, but also marking a huge milestone & starting up one storyline I've had waiting for a while.

_“Can I see her?”_

“Why?” I ask her.

“Because I deserve to get answers!” She says. “I want her to look me in the eyes, & tell me why she ran me over.”

“I don't think that's a good idea, Pipes.”

“Well, thanks for the non-support, but I’ve made up my mind.”

I look at Mark, hoping he’ll back me up.

“If Karl gives you clearance… I really don’t think there's any reason for you not to,” Mark replies.

“ _Seriously_ , bro?”

“If she wants to, there's no way I can stop her unless Karl says no,” he says to me. “There's no threat to her life from Mavi, she’ll be monitored the _whole_ time… She does have the right to face Mavi  & get answers.”

I shake my head as I stand. I head for the door.

“Tyler,” Piper says.

But I open the door & walk out. Karl’s at the nurses’ station down the hallway, & as I walk over, I know Mark is following me.

“Karl.”

“Yes, Tyler?”

“Piper wants to go see Mavi at the police station, which I think is ridiculous given her current state,” I say, just as Mark catches up to me. “Mark says he’ll allow it, but only if you clear her.”

“Well, she's been progressing well,” Karl replies. “She’s healing really well, & given she’s basically ready to begin physio… I have no objections to her leaving for a couple of hours.”

I sigh. “Isn't there a psychological reason she should stay?”

“I understand that you're trying to protect her,” Karl replies. “It's very noble of you, Tyler. But if she wants to leave, I have no reason not to grant it. All I ask is that she stays in a wheelchair.”

“Easily done,” Mark replies.

****

Karl organised for a mini bus shuttle to take us there. I’d tried to get him to see that Mark’s car would suffice, but Karl wouldn’t listen. He wanted me to not be moving in & out of the wheelchair, & the mini bus would allow me to stay in the wheelchair. When I suggested a disabled taxi, Karl still insisted- saying his was free.

“You sure you want to do this?” Tyler asks as he pushes me across the complex towards the station.

“I just want answers,” I reply. “I want to hear it from her why she did this to me. Why I may have my life changed forever because of her actions.”

“Okay,” He replies. I look up, seeing his jaw clench for a minute. “I’m going to be in there with you.”

“No, Ty.”

He stops just as we approach the station. He comes round & crouches in front of me.

“I know that you’re independent,” He says. “But the only way you’re going in there right now, is if I get to sit in there with you.”

“You don’t have to be so damn protective of me, Tyler!” I reply. “I’m sixteen! I can look after myself!”

“Please, Pipes,” he says, pleadingly. “I can’t just sit in the waiting room while you’re in the same room as the woman who tried to take you from me.” He places his hand on my left knee. “You know what she did to us before. And now _this_.” He swallows hard, eyes filling with tears. “I wasn’t there the day she hit you. I couldn’t protect you then. But I’m here now,  & I’m not letting you out of my sight.”

I press my lips tightly together, trying to suppress the tears stinging my eyes. I nod. “Okay,” I whisper.

He smiles. He gets up, leaning over & presses his lips against mine.

****

The interrogation room door opens & Mark comes into my view.

“Oh, here for round two?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“You have a visitor,” He replies flatly. “Well… two.”

I frown. “I have no family or friends here.”

He steps aside, waving his hand to gesture someone in. I turn my eyes to the doorway in time to see Tyler wheeling Piper in. I swallow as I see the full leg cast & her right arm in a sling.

Tyler shifts the chair on the other side of the table to one side, & pushes Piper closer to the table.

“I’ll be watching on the monitor from out there,” Mark says.

Tyler & Piper nod.

“Thanks, bro,” Tyler replies.

Mark nods, gives me a stern look before he steps out & closes the door. Tyler slumps down in the chair beside Piper.

“Didn’t expect you two to want to see me,” I reply.

“We’re here cause Piper wanted to,” Tyler replies.

****

“I want answers,” I add.

I watch her swallow hard. _She didn’t think she’d have to look at me & explain why._

“I came to the garage… to talk to you both,” She replies. “I wanted to apologise to both of you about what happened the last time I was here.”

“And I told you to leave me in the past,” Tyler replies.

“I know, but… it’s been weighing on my mind & I…” She sighs. “I can’t move on without seeking closure… from both of you.”

“Well, congratulations!” I reply, sarcastically. “You got it! By running me _over_!”

“I didn’t mean to.”

I scoff.

“Honestly, all I wanted to do was to talk,” She replies. “But I saw you, &… all the anger & jealousy came back.” She looks at Tyler. “I can’t cope not having you, Tyler. I know that you don’t love me back, but… I can’t handle it. I thought I could, but… It’s like losing the love of my life.” She looks at me. “I want to be where you are, Piper. To be the one that he loves. And… I know that I shouldn’t have done that to you, but… My jealousy clouded my judgement, &…” She sighs. “I was just trying to scare you a little. To just… clip you. But I hit the accelerator too much, &… I’m sorry.”

“If it was an accident,” Tyler says. “Why did you keep driving? Why didn’t you stop to help her?” He leans forward. “I _saw_ you, Mavi! Why didn’t you stop then?”

“I left because I was in shock,” Mavi explains. “Shocked & ashamed.” She looks at Tyler. “I was going to go back, but then I saw you. And I knew that she would be okay with you watching over her.”

“Why didn’t you come forward straight away?”

“I was scared about what would happen to me if… if she died.”

“I’m right here,” I reply. “Don’t talk like I’m not in the room.”

She looks at me. “I’m here now though,” She says. “And I’m ready to face the consequences of my actions.” She leans forward. “I am really sorry, Piper.”

****

Tyler wheels Piper out. He shuts the door as I walk over to them.

“I don’t want to press charges,” Piper says as Tyler & I step up to her.

Tyler & I look at each other, both shocked.

“She’s guilty, yes,” Piper says, drawing our attention. “But she’s owned up to what she’s done.”

“Pipes…”

“I believe her when she says that it was an accident,” Piper replies. “I’m still alive. Which deserves to be acknowledged. Therefore, I don’t want to press charges beyond whatever you need to for reckless driving or whatever it is.”

“You know you mum won’t agree,” Tyler says.

“Well, she can just deal with it,” She replies. “It’s my choice.”

****

**Two & a half weeks later**

Piper’s physio rehabilitation is going really well. Her arm is out of the sling, & she’s almost regained full movement. Her leg, though, is a much longer term issue. She can walk, but it’s slow & with assistance. The bones in her leg have healed, but her hip bones haven’t fully healed yet & that’s holding her back.

I watch from the side of the room as she walks between the two bars, hands gripping the bars as she slowly makes her way along & her physiotherapist, Annie, walks along the other side of the bar to make sure that she’s fine.

“Yes! Good!” Annie says when they reach the end. “Okay, now turn around & we’ll go along it one more time.”

Piper slowly turns around & I watch as she makes her way back down the bars, Annie with her the whole way. And then Piper does the unexpected- she lets go of the bars. I instinctively stand, taking a few steps towards her but stop when she manages to take a few steps completely unassisted.

We both laugh in delight as I cross to her, meeting her at the end of the bars. I cups her face with both hands, lowering my lips to meet hers.

“I’m so proud of you,” I say, lips hovering near hers.

“Damn right!” She replies.

“This is really big progress,” Annie says & I lower my hands.

“How long till I can ditch the crutches?” Piper asks.

“If you keep doing sessions every day this week with me, & we keep practicing having you walk unassisted,” Annie replies. “I think you’ll be able to be downgraded to just one crutch by the weekend.”

Piper smiles. “Yes!” She says, clapping excitedly. “Perfect!”

“What?” I ask.

Piper looks at me. “Paige & Mark are having their naming ceremony for Lilly & Scott on Saturday, remember,” She replies. “I want to surprise them by not only being there, but _walking_.”

I smirk. “Trying to steal their thunder, huh?” I ask. “Such a typical Piper move.”

“I want to be there for their special day.”

“And show them all up by walking in.”

She lightly hits my arm. “Shut up! They’ll be happy for me. Just like I’m happy for them!”

****

Jay & I bring out more glasses & put them on the table set up in Lauren’s backyard. Today is the naming ceremony for Lilly & Scott, my niece & nephew.

“Do you think there’s too much stuff?” Jay asks. “I mean, there’s… how many people coming again? Isn’t it just the street?”

I smile. “It’s always better to be safe & have too much, then not enough,” I reply. “Besides, it’s Paige. She _loves_ a big party.”

“Mmmm, true,” He replies. “So… did you have something like this for Felicity?”

“A naming ceremony?”

“Yeah,” he replies. “Or a christening. I don’t know if you’re religious.”

I shake my head. “I’m not,” I reply. “I mean, I went to church cause I had to for school, but… No. No christening, no naming ceremony. I was close to my parents… geographically, but… I didn’t do anything.”

“That’s fine,” he replies, putting his arm around my shoulders. “We’re each allowed to have our own way of doing things.”

He kisses my cheek.

“Oi, you can be all cute & lovey-dovey later on,” Paige says, making her way over from inside with more decorations. “But right now, I need you to keep on decorating!”

“Surely you’ve got enough already up,” I reply.

“There’s _never_ enough,” She replies.

I look at Jay & roll my eyes. He stifles his laughter.

****

Soon enough, Mark & Aaron arrive with Lilly, Scott & Felicity.

“Hi darling!” I say to Felicity as I take her from Aaron.

I kiss her cheek & she makes a happy noise. Then Jay walks over.

“Dadda!” Felicity squeals, reaching for him.

“Hey Felicity,” He says, smiling as he gives her a tickle.

“It looks fantastic!” Mark says, taking our hard work in.

“It better,” I reply. “Your wife overkilled it.”

He smiles. “Thank you both so much for helping set it all up.”

“No worries. Always happy to help.”

****

“Are you ready to begin?” Susan asks Mark & myself.

“Uhh…” I say, as I do a scan of our friends, checking that everyone is here. “Not quite. Tyler’s not here.”

“He won’t mind if we start,” Mark replies. “I’m sure he’s on his way.”

“Mmmm,” I reply. “But he’s a part of our family. And I want him here.”

He nods. “Alright, we’ll… Ah, there he is!”

I turn, seeing Tyler coming in through the side gate. He sees us, waves at us but then gestures for us to stay there. He then steps back over to the gate, pushing it back open. I frown as he holds it open. My jaw drops as I see Piper.

And she’s _walking_.

Sure, it’s with a crutch, but… she’s _walking_.

“Oh my god!” I exclaim.

I walk over to her, meeting her halfway & give her a big hug. We part & I look her up & down.

“I wanted to surprise you,” She says.

“Uh, well… consider mission accomplished!”

“It’s really good to see you, Piper,” Mark says, stepping up & leaning in for a hug.

“Thanks Mark,” She says as they hug.

“Sorry we’re cutting it fine,” Tyler says as they part.

“Oh, hush!” I reply. “This is worth you being almost late!”

“We should start,” Mark says, lightly rubbing my back. “Before the little ones start to get fussy.”

I nod. “Come on.”

The four of us make our way over to the others. Mark & I take our babies from my parents, & stand with Susan ready to begin. Everyone else gathers around.

The ceremony is simple- Susan leads, with her, Mark & I each giving small speeches. Mark & I talk about our hopes for our children, as well as making commitments to be there for each of them & also reflecting on their lives so far. Mum & Dad, Aaron & then Erin all give speeches too, for we chose them to be godparents. I also asked Jay if he could write a song for us, & he performed it before Mark & I closed the ceremony with one final set of promises to our children.

****

Jay & I are dancing- well, swaying in each other’s embrace, really. Felicity is spending time with Tyler & Piper, who is sitting down to rest her leg & hip for a bit. It’s also so I can have some alone time with Jay before he has to go for an audition for a new opening at a venue.

“Hey,” he says.

“Mmm,” I reply, sighing contentedly as I rest my cheek against his.

“Ever thought about… having more kids?”

I lean back to look him in the eyes, gaping slightly. “Uh… Well… I dunno,” I reply. “It depends.”

“On?”

“The situation.”

“Mmm.”

“I don’t want to go through what I did with Felicity,” I reply. “To be a single parent.”

“And,” He replies. “What if… what if you had one with me?”

I’m speechless. I stare at him, wide eyed & mouth ajar.

“Relax, Aer,” he says, rubbing my back. “I’m not saying right away. I just want to get a reading on what you think of it.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I… I haven’t thought about it.”

He nods. “That’s okay.”

“I mean, it’s a huge deal,” I reply. “I want to be in a lasting relationship before having another child. I don’t want to be raising another kid on my own. I mean, I love Felicity. She’s my world, but… I don’t want to be a single mother of two.”

He nods. “But who says you will be alone?”

I sigh. “Neither of us knows for sure how this will end,” I reply. “Love… it’s unpredictable.”

“It can also be eternal,” he says. “If you give it a chance to grow.”

“Having a child is a big commitment,” I reply. “Feelings can change over the space of nine months. What if we decide we want to have one, & in the nine months of my pregnancy, things don’t work out between us & I end up having to raise a second child on my own?”

“I’m in love with you, Erin,” he replies. “I’m going to be here for the rest of your life, if you let me. And if we make that commitment, to have a baby together, I will _always_ be by your side. I would _never_ walk away from you if you were having my child. Even if we start to fall apart, I _will_ fight for us.”

Tears fill my eyes. “You can’t promise stuff like that.”

He cups my face with both hands. “I can & I just did,” He replies. “I will wait however long it takes for you to be ready to have one. But once we do, I’m there. Always.”

I close my eyes, struggling to keep back my tears. I feel his lips press against mine & I kiss im back.

****

“You’re hitting the hard stuff rather fiercely,” Paige says, stepping over to me as I down the strongest booze I could find.

“Well, do you blame me?” I reply. “My boyfriend asked me out of nowhere how I feel about having more children, before basically professing his undying love & devotion to me… & I can barely manage to say ‘I love you’ to him.”

“Awwww! That’s really sweet!”

“Sure, but it’s a giant guilt trip too,” I reply. “I can’t seem to tell him I love him, & there he is saying ‘I’m in love with you’ for the hundredth time- which, by the way, carries a _lot_ more weight than ‘I love you’. But he’s there, saying that  & planning our future out & I suddenly feel like our relationship is on that really fast train in Japan or wherever it is in Asia.”

“Is it really such a bad thing that he’s picturing spending the rest of his life with you?” She asks. “Just look at it- you have a great man who loves you, who loves Felicity & she loves him back & that means a hell of a lot… You have everything that _any_ woman could hope for,  & you’re holding yourself back because of a few crappy exes.”

I take another big sip of my drink. “I don’t know.”

She places both hands on my shoulders, giving me a firm stare. “Go take that giant leap of faith, & give in to him. Be happy with him. Build a life, a _future_ with him,” She says. “What’s the worst that could happen?”

I think about it for a few seconds, opening my mouth to reply, but…

“Looks like I missed things,” A male voice says.

Paige & I turn towards the voice. A young man of similar age is walking over to us from the side gate. He looks a lot like a younger, hotter version of Brad- with a far nicer haircut & stubble. He smiles at Paige.

“Ned!” Paige says, surprised & excited.

“Surprise!” He says, extending his arms out either side of him.

She throws her arms around him & he wraps his arms around her as he chuckles. I watch on awkwardly.

“Your friend seems awkward,” he says as they part.

Paige looks at me & then back to Ned. “Ohhh riiight!” She says. “You two haven't met.”

“No,” he says. “Are you gonna introduce us or should I?”

“Ned, this Erin,” Paige replies. “Mark’s sister.”

He looks at me & smiles as he extends his hand out to me. “Nice to meet you, Erin.”

I take his hand. “Nice to meet you too,” I reply as we shake hands. “I’m… Not really sure…”

“I’m Brad's son,” Ned explains. “And Beth’s. Before Terese… & Lauren.”

“Ah, well, it's nice to finally meet you.”

“Same.”

Paige hits him. “Why didn't you tell me you were coming?”

“Pip told me about today, & I wasn't sure if I’d be able to make it,” he replies. “Or welcome. Given what happened last time I was here.”

I frown, looking at Paige for an explanation. But it goes unnoticed by her.

“I’m glad you did!” Paige says, hugging him again.

They part.

“Come on,” She says, taking his hand. “I want you to meet your niece & nephew.”

She drags him off & he pulls a face at me that makes me laugh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… Piper got closure over her accident, & is well down the road to recovery. Also, Paige & Mark’s twins are finally out of the hospital. But as things look up for them, is there trouble brewing for Erin & Jay?


	51. Will I Get Burned?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jay's plans for the future has Erin worried. But that's not her biggest concern. Someone is about to land in her life that will set off a ticking bomb in her romantic life...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betting a lot of people will be angry or crying at the end. Maybe both...

I slip into her room, being quiet as her light is off. I strip down to my boxers & climb into her bed. In the dim light filtering through the window, I see her look over her shoulder at me.

“Hey,” She sleepily says.

“Hey,” I reply, draping my arm over her body. “Sorry I woke you.”

“Its fine,” She replies, rolling onto her back. “How did it go?”

“Yeah, it went really well. They were impressed enough they gave me a trial tonight. That's why I’m so late.”

“That's really good!”

She leans in & kisses me.

“I'm sorry that I freaked you out earlier by bringing up having more kids.”

“Don't,” She replies. “I was just taken aback. I haven't thought about it. I’ve been so… Afraid of letting anyone in, I haven't let myself even imagine my life in the future.”

“You’ve got to stop letting the past hold you back.”

She nods, before turning to face me.

“You know I’m not saying no to it, yeah?” She asks. “I’m just saying it's going to take me a while before I’m ready to have another kid.”

I nod, rubbing my hand along her back. “I didn't mean I wanted us to start trying,” I tell her. “I just wanted to see where you stand.”

“And… Where do you stand?”

“I want to have kids,” I reply. “But I’m not in any rush. I don't want to pressure you into it. I know that you're an amazing mother, & I hope that one day I get to have a child with you. I suppose the idea came to mind because of Mark & Paige.”

She smiles. “You’ll be a great dad someday,” she replies. “I see it every time I see you with Felicity.”

I smile, before kissing her. “I think it's time we get some sleep.”

She nods before turning around. I shift closer, draping my arm over her. I kiss the back of her bare shoulder & she sighs contentedly.

****

I wake to the sound of our babies crying. As much as their nursery is ready for them, I don't want them being away from us- especially given how much time they spent in hospital. I get up & cross to them.

“Hey, shhh,” I whisper to them.

I rock their cribs. Mark steps up, looking just as sleepy.

“Think they need feeding?” He asks.

“Yeah, maybe.”

“Well, I’ll cuddle one while you feed the other if you want.”

“Awwwww!” I reply & then kiss his cheek. “I’ll start with Lilly. She can be fussier sometimes.”

He nods before scooping up Scott. He cradles our son against his bare chest, walking around to his side of the bed as I pick up Lilly. We both get back into bed to keep warm. I support Lilly with one arm as I adjust my pillows so I’ll be comfortable while feeding. When I’m settled, I position Lilly before dropping one of my straps & feed her. The first few times I’d tried breastfeeding them was just over a week ago when we were still in the hospital. It had been a difficult few attempts, both myself & each of our babies having to adjust to it all. But by the time they were allowed to leave, I had gained some skill with it. Dr Brooke reassured me that we could always bottle feed them, but I’d been determined to keep at it. And it paid off when I was successful at feeding them.

I look over at Mark, watching him as he cradles our son. Scott has quietened down now, which is good cause he won't wake the others, but he’s still fussing in Mark’s arms.

“Okay, she's done,” I say. “Can you take her?”

“Of course,” he says, smiling.

We do a slightly awkward swap & I watch Mark for a minute as he holds Lilly higher up on his chest & lightly taps her back to burp her. Scott fusses in my arms, his way of demanding my attention, & I feed him on my other side.

I look over to Mark as I burp Scott. He realises I’m watching & looks at me.

“She's asleep,” he mouths.

I nod before tilting my head towards the cots. He gets up & carries her back to her cot. It's surprising how quickly we’ve adjusted to having them home. How well we’re handling their night-time routine. How well _they're_ handling it.

“How about him?” Mark whispers as he crosses to me now Lilly's in her bed.

I look at Scott. “He's asleep,” I whisper.

I go to get up, but Mark blocks my way.

“I’ll do it,” he whispers. “Save you getting up.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

He smiles. “You do most of the work,” he whispers. “The least I can do is put them back to bed.”

He leans down to take him from me & I take the opportunity to kiss him. I watch as he carries Scott back to his crib, admiring Mark’s body. I find myself staring at his butt as he bends over to place Scott down. It's been a while since we made love, & I long for it.

Mark slips back into bed & I busy myself with lowering my pillows so I can sleep again. We lie down, Mark shifting so his front is almost moulded to my back & drapes his arm over me, his hand resting on mine like it always does.

“I want us to make love,” I whisper.

“Now?” He whispers, surprised.

I shift so I can look at him. “Do you want to? You don't have the early shift, so… We can.”

He swallows. “I want to,” he whispers. “But… What about…?” He tilts his head towards our babies.

I smirk. “You’ll just have to make sure you don't make me scream.”

“Oh, that's going to be hard,” he replies, closing the gap between us.

He rolls on top of me as we kiss, & I spread my legs as I wrap my arms around his neck. We strip off & he pushes inside me, both of us sighing contentedly. We kiss as he thrusts slowly, to keep the noise down.

****

“Oi!” Mark says as Tyler snatches his freshly buttered toast.

“Sorry, bro,” Tyler says before taking a bite. “I gotta fly. I’m late to see Pipes.”

Tyler heads for the door & Mark sighs as Tyler exits. Felicity laughs & I turn back to her. She's sitting on Jay’s lap & he's feeding her. I smile. _This is the kind of family that I want. This is enough for me. At least, for now._

“So what are your plans for today?” Mark asks as he makes more food for himself.

“Working,” I reply. “I have a meeting with a client, & then I’m heading to _the Waterhole_ to run through things with Sheila.”

“Well, I’ve got the morning off,” Mark replies. “If you want, I can look after Felicity & take her to childcare for the afternoon?” He looks at Jay. “I mean, if you're busy too.”

“Yeah, they want me back at the venue,” Jay replies. “To play the lunch crowd. Part two of the trial.”

Mark nods. “That's really good, mate.”

Jay nods. “Yeah.”

“I’ll take you up on that,” I tell Mark. “It will be good for her to have some time away from childcare during the day.”

“Yeah,” he replies with a smile. “Plus, who wouldn't want some one on one time with Uncle Markie.”

He pulls a face at Felicity, who laughs.

****

I’m sitting outside _Harold’s_ , reading the newspaper & enjoying a coffee when I spot her. Erin. Beautiful Erin. Jogging towards the lake, her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. She doesn't look like her brothers. _Maybe she’s adopted… Which means technically we could date without it being weird since we’re practically family thanks to Paige._

I wonder what it would be like to kiss her, to press my body against hers, to hold her… And suddenly she's making her way into the complex, stretching as she goes. She looks gorgeous, her figure exposed by the workout gear she has on- especially the sports bra style crop top she's wearing. How I wish I could hold her hips, make her moan as we make love… Oh, how I would kiss every inch of her!

_Annnnd now she’s looking at you from several meters away._

I swallow the lump in my throat as I quickly turn my focus onto the newspaper, hoping to avoid her eyes for long enough that she doesn't suspect I was staring.

“You know, the key to perving is to _not_ get caught,” She says.

I look up, finding her standing on the other side of my table. She's holding onto the back of the chair, her right hand on her hip. And I suppress the urge to stand up & kiss her right now.

“Sorry?” I reply. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

She rolls her eyes. “I saw you,” She replies. “You were staring at me.”

“How do you know I wasn't staring into space?”

“Because,” She says, sitting down. “You looked like every man caught perving. That deer in the headlights look, panics & then averts his eyes quickly like it's gonna hide the fact that he was staring but it is _way_ too late.”

I put the paper down, resting my arms on the table & lean closer. “Would it be such a bad thing if I was checking you out?”

She tilts her head slightly, eyes narrowing as she thinks. “It's a little weird.”

“Oh? How?”

“We’re family,” She replies. “Remember I’m Mark’s sister. Which makes me your sister-in-law.”

“Technically half sister-in-law,” I reply. “Paige is only my half-sister.”

“Same same.”

“I’m not ashamed of admiring such a beautiful woman,” I reply. “Even if she’s distantly related to me.”

For a few seconds she looks flustered, & not from her run. I smirk.

“Do you try to get in the pants of everyone you're ‘kinda’ related to?”

I smirk. “Just the stunningly beautiful ones.”

“And where does Lauren land in that scaling?”

“What?”

She smirks. “You didn't think I would know so quickly,” She replies, leaning back & crosses her arms. “You see, yesterday you mentioned to Paige about something that happened the last time you were here that would make you unwelcome here. And so I asked Sheila. I'm sure you know she's a really big gossiper. Well, she was _delighted_ to fill me in. So I know that you kissed Lauren. That you wanted to sleep with her. Maybe it was to get back at Brad, but either way it was so massively wrong of you. And that's my rather long-winded way of telling you that you can flirt all you want with me, but you're not getting anything in return.”

“That's a bit harsh,” I reply. “Judging me on a mistake I made months ago.”

“I should probably also tell you I’m in a relationship.”

I shrug. “Not gonna stop me.”

She stands up &, instead of walking off like I expect, she steps round to beside me.

“Keep having those little fantasies where you picture yourself touching me,” She replies. “Wouldn’t be surprised if you have hot fantasies where we do it. But keep having them, by all means, don’t stop.” She then bends over, putting herself very close to me. Close enough to kiss. My eyes drift down, looking at her cleavage that is on full display. “Cause this is the closest you'll _ever_ get to it.”

And with that, she walks off into _Harold’s_. I sigh, trying to relax.

****

“I thought you were going to see Sheila,” Paige says as I walk in after my run.

“I pushed it back a few hours,” I reply. “My other meeting went so well, I’m in a good mood. And handling Sheila can kill a good mood in… Ohhh thirty seconds.”

“Mmm,” she replies. “She has that knack. Just like she's able to gossip in lighting speed.”

“Yeah, that has its benefits sometimes.”

She nods. “Anyway… Have you talked to Jay again about having children?”

I raise my eyebrow. “Wow. Direct, much?”

“Hey, I’m just saying I know what it's like to throw a relationship under a bus over talking about babies,” She replies. “I want you to be okay.”

I sigh as I flop on the couch. “We did talk about it late last night, after he got home from his trial at the new venue.”

“That's good!” She says. “Right?”

I shrug. “I hadn't even considered it until he asked me about it,” I reply. “I told him that I want to wait. That it doesn't feel right to have one right now, which he’s fine with, cause he wasn't trying to pressure me into it. But…” I sigh. “The more I think about it, the more I wonder if I’ll _ever_ be ready to have another kid. What if I’m happy with _just_ Felicity?”

“If you're really that unsure, stop stressing,” She replies. “You need to forget about it. Cause you’ll talk yourself into doing something you’ll regret later on, & you’ll end up paying the cost. Jay says he’ll willing to wait. That's really good. Trust that. Listen to him.”

“He wants to have a family,” I reply. “I’ll just hold him back.”

“Uh, have you _seen_ him with Felicity? The guy’s a fricking natural! Having her will help him. He’ll get in the practice,  & it will do until you two have one of your own. He loves her like she’s his own,” She replies. She shifts closer. “You know, I once felt like you. I mean, I didn't have a kid already, but… I faced that burning question- settle down & have kids. I didn't think I was ready to start a family. Mark said he was willing to wait, but I ignored it & it eventually added to us breaking up. And now… Look at us. We're married & have two gorgeous babies.”

“What's your point? That I should break up with him?”

“That you should listen to him when he says he's willing to wait,” She replies. “A guy who’s willing to lay down that much devotion is worth keeping around.”

****

I’ve decided to walk to _The Waterhole_ to take advantage of the beautiful day. It's winter still, but the weather is surprisingly warmish. On my way there, I come across a heavily pregnant woman who looks lost- she keeps walking off in one direction, but stops, hesitates  & walks back.

“Hey, excuse me,” I say to her. “Sorry to intrude, but… Are you okay?”

“Hey, uh… Yeah, I’m… This is embarrassing to admit, but… I’m a bit lost.”

“Okay. Maybe I can help. Were you trying to get somewhere?”

She nods. “Yeah,” She says. “I'm trying to find a local pub. I was told by the staff at the motel I’m staying at that it wasn't too far away, so I decided to walk. But… As you can tell, I got myself lost. And I’m not local, which is obvious from the fact that I’m staying at a motel & got myself turned around.”

I smile. “Don't worry, it happens to the best of us,” I reply. “What's the name of the pub?”

“Ummm…” She says, putting her hand on her forehead. “It’s _the billabong_?? No, that's not right…”

“ _The Waterhole_?”

“Yes! _Yes_! That's it!”

“Well, you're in luck,” I reply. “I’m actually on my way there now. If you want, you can walk with me.”

“Oh, that would be really good!” She replies. “Thank you so much!”

“You're welcome,” I reply, smiling. “It's this way.”

We walk off side by side.

"I'm Erin, by the way."

“Nice to meet you, Erin,” She says. “I’m Rachael.”

“It's lovely to meet you, Rachael,” I reply. “So what brings you to the area?”

“Oh, well, I’m going to meet my husband at _The Waterhole_ ,” She replies. “I would call him, but he doesn't know I’m here & I’m ashamed to call him for help.”

“Okay.”

“See, we live in Sydney,” She replies. “And he's down here for work. So I thought it would nice if I popped down & surprised him.”

“Awww that sounds really lovely.”

She smiles. “I hope so,” She replies. “And what… Why are you going there?”

“I actually work at the pub.”

“Oh? A barmaid?”

“Actually, I’m the PR Manager,” I reply. “The pub is owned by the _Lassiters_ hotel, which is next door. My brother  & I have a PR business, & the hotel is one of our clients. And the pub falls under our folio.”

“Wow. That's impressive.”

****

“Here we go,” I say as Rachael & I turn the corner & the complex comes into view.

“Oh, I cannot thank you enough for your help!”

I smile as we continue walking. “You're more than welcome. Happy to help out a stranger.”

“Well, you are a true angel!”

I smile. We walk in silence for a bit.

“This place is so beautiful,” She says, as we walk outside _Harold’s_. “Maybe we should move down here permanently once the baby is born…”

“It's a great place to raise a family.”

“I can get that feeling,” She says as we stop outside the pub. “Well, thank you again for your help. I really do appreciate it.”

“You're welcome.”

“Erin!” Sheila says, trotting over from one of the outside tables.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Rachael says. “Bye.”

“Bye, Rachael.”

Rachael passes Sheila on her way to the door. Sheila looks at Rachael.

“Who's that?” Sheila asks. “Got a new friend?”

“No, she was lost & so I offered to walk her here since we were both coming here.”

“Well, I came over to tell you that your handsome man is inside,” Sheila says. “I thought you might want to go say hello to him before we get stuck into it. He’s looking pretty lonely in there.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

She smiles before heading off to another table. I cross to the front door & I pull it open. I scan the room as I step in. I smile as I see him across the room, but as I’m about to head to him, still hidden out of his sight by one of the partitions, I notice that he's not alone. I stop mid-step when I realise that Rachael is with him. They're hugging. But that's not what cuts me deep.

I watch in shock as they _kiss_.

Not just a simple, friendly kiss on the cheek. A full on lip lock.

Devastated & unable to breathe, I turn around on one heel & walk back outside. I falter a few steps outside, feeling the world spin. I close my eyes, trying to steady everything.

“Erin?” Sheila asks.

I open my eyes, feeling them stinging with tears. I can’t face her right now. I walk off, moving as fast as I can as I struggle not to cry.

_How could he do this to me????_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Erin! :( What will she do now? And what will this revelation mean for her & Jay?


	52. Worst Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still reeling from the shocking revelations, Erin seeks out her brothers' support... But there's answers to be sought, questions to be asked. Can this be fixed, or will she be left broken-hearted again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll need tissues. And I mean it. I cried a river writing it.

“Hey,” I say to Paige as I walk through the front door. “I got your text. Sorry, I couldn’t get away any sooner.”

“Hey, it’s fine,” She replies. “I’ve tried talking to her, but she’s holed herself in her bedroom & refuses to talk to me. Aaron’s going to collect Felicity. I thought she might open up to you.”

I nod. “I’ll go try now.”

She nods before giving me a kiss. I walk through to the bedrooms & along to hers. The door is shut, as I expected. I knock on it.

“GO AWAY!” She shouts.

I open the door & peer inside just as she pulls her doona up to cover her head. I sigh, walking over & kneeling beside her bed. I pull her doona back- she’s lying on her side facing me, her mascara streaked over her cheeks & her eyes puffy from tears that are still falling.

“What’s happened, Aer?”

“Why do I keep falling for men who rip my heart out?” She asks, sobbing.

I frown. “What’s going on?”

“Jay,” She whispers. “He’s… he’s married.”

“ _What?!_ ”

“I went to _The Waterhole_ to see Sheila,” She replies. “And I saw this woman who was lost. And she was looking for the pub  & so I walked with her the rest of the way. And when I got there, Sheila encouraged that I go inside & say hi to Jay before we begin. So I did. Only, I found him hugging Rachael, the woman I helped. And then they _kissed_. Not just a kiss on the cheek… but a full on lovers kiss!”

“Oh, come here,” I reply.

She sits up & leans towards me as I wrap my arms around her. She buries her face into my shoulder & cries.

“I can’t believe that I was that _stupid_!” She says. “That I was foolish enough to ignore myself when I was hesitant to start anything with him! That I let him in when I was afraid of going there again, that I was _stupid_ enough to let him get close to Felicity, to lull me into a false sense of security!”

“Hey, shhh,” I whisper. “Are you sure you’re not reading into it?”

She pulls back & stares at me. “Rachael told me she was going to meet her _husband_. And I think it’s pretty damn hard to not believe it when I see them kissing.”

“Why don’t you talk to him?”

She shakes her head.

“Give him a chance to explain everything,” I say. “You never know, there might be more to it than it seems.”

“She’s _pregnant_ , Mark!” She replies. “She’s heavily pregnant, they’re _married_ & I was _stupid_ to fall for him! This whole time, he’s been _lying_ & the only thing that matters is that I’m once again left with a broken heart & wounded ego for being a dumb blonde once again!”

“Hey,” I reply, cupping her face with both my hands. “You are _not_ dumb, Erin. You’re brilliant. This, whatever it is, is _not_ your fault. So don’t put the blame on yourself.”

“How did I not see this coming?”

“You weren’t to know,” I reply. “See, this is why you need to talk to him. To find out what’s going on.”

She shakes her head.

“What if I come with you?”

She shakes her head again.

“Aer,” I whisper.

“I just want to forget it for tonight,” She replies. “I can’t face him. Not tonight.”

I nod. “Alright,” I reply. “Aaron’s going to get Felicity. Why don’t you go have a shower or a bath, & then come have dinner.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You need to eat, Aer,” I reply, wiping her tears away with my thumbs. “We’re all here for you. Shutting yourself up in here all night isn’t going to help. You’re going to think the worst of yourself, & that’s only going to damage yourself. So go have a relaxing bath & then come out & be with us.”

****

I walk through towards the living area, having just had a bath. I was tempted to slide under & not come up, but the one thing that kept me going was the thought of Felicity being without me. I stop when I’m almost out in the large room, hearing the others all sounding happy. I can’t face them right now. I turn to head back to my room.

“Hey, where are you going?” Aaron asks.

I turn back around, finding him a few steps away.

“I can’t go out there,” I reply. “They’re all so happy.”

“Nuh uh,” He replies. “Mark told me what’s going on. Tyler knows too. And Paige. But look, we’re here for you. So come out & be with us.”

I shake my head. He pulls me into a hug.

“You know Felicity is out there,” he says, still hugging me. “She wants you.”

“How am I meant to tell her that she’s lost another male figure in her life?”

“Just take it one day at a time,” He replies. “I’m sure you’ll find out that it’s not as bad.”

I pull back. “The man I let into my heart when I was scared to let anyone in just broke my heart by lying. How is that ever going to be not bad?”

“Talk to him,” he replies.

I shake my head. “I don’t want to.”

“What you need is closure.”

I sigh. He leads me out into the main room. The others have gone quiet. In fact, Tyler & Paige are standing at the front door, which is open a little bit. Both seem to be listening to something outside.

“What-” Aaron says.

“ _Shhh!_ ” Paige hisses.

I follow Aaron over, noting that Felicity is sitting on the floor in the lounge.

“Mark’s outside,” Paige says softly to Aaron & I. She hesitates, looking at me, before she continues. “Jay’s here.”

It’s like a punch to the gut. But all that hurt & anger drives me- _I need to know the truth_.

I step around all of them, heading for the door. Tyler holds me back.

“I _need_ to find out the truth!” I hiss at him.

Tyler looks at Paige & Aaron to get a consensus.

“She has a point,” Paige says.

He lowers his arm.

“Someone please go watch Felicity,” I reply. “Before she bangs her head on something.”

I pull the door open wider, the others stepping back to allow it to, & I push the security door open. The noise draws Mark & Jay’s attention.

“Erin!” Jay says, stepping towards me.

But Mark slides in front of him, blocking him.

“Leave us,” I say.

“You heard her,” Mark says.

“Actually, I was talking to you,” I reply.

Mark looks over his shoulder at me & frowns. “What?”

“You’re right, & so is Aaron,” I reply. “I need to find out the full story.”

“I’m _not_ leaving.”

I sigh. “Mark, I completely admire you for being protective of me right now. I actually really appreciate knowing that you, Tyler, Aaron & Paige have my back,” I reply. “But I need you to back off & let me do this with just Jay.”

Mark looks at Jay, & then sighs. “Fine,” He says. “But I’m right inside if you need me.”

I nod. “Tell the others to move away from the door,” I reply. “I don’t need you all eavesdropping.”

He gives Jay one more stern look, before turning & heading inside. I watch him leave, waiting until the door shuts before I turn back to Jay.

****

“What’s going on?” I ask. “Mark won’t let me inside, &…” I notice her puffy eyes. “You’ve… you’ve been crying.”

I step towards her, wanting to comfort her, but she takes a step back, her hand out to stop me.

“Who's Rachael?”

“What?”

“You heard me. Who is she?” She asks. “And be honest with me.”

“She's my ex wife.”

She scoffs. “You're doing it. Lying.”

“I’m _not_ , Aer!”

“I _saw_ you with her!” She replies. “I _saw_ you two at _The Waterhole_ earlier, _kissing_.”

Suddenly all of this makes sense. I run my hand over my face.

“Did you honestly think that you could meet her there & I _wouldn't_ find out?”

“I didn't know she was coming!” I reply. “She just showed up!”

“Yeah, cause I was stupid enough to go help a complete stranger who was lost,” She says.

My stomach flips. “You're the one she was praising.”

“I found her, she was lost. And so I was helpful & walked her there… Not realising that I was hand-delivering a bomb to under my relationship!”

“How much did you see?”

“Enough to know that you're a liar.”

“No, Erin. Not good enough. If you want me to be honest, you need to do the same in return,” I reply. “I want to discuss this with you, but you need to be honest too.”

“I walked in, saw you two hugging… & then the kiss,” She replies. “I’m sorry if you don't feel satisfied that you rubbed it in. But I didn't want to stick around & face you.”

“Well, had you stayed thirty more seconds you would have seen me push her away,” I reply. “As I’ve been trying to tell you, she's my _ex_ _wife_. That kiss was initiated. By _her_. Because she thinks she can rebuild what we had, even though it's been _done_ for me for a _long_ time.”

She shakes her head. “How can I believe you?”

“Because you love me.”

“What if that's not enough?”

“I don't know what you want me to say, Aer!” I say, barely holding back my frustration. “I’m trying _so damn hard_ to prove to you that it's over between Rachael  & I, that everything you saw was one sided from _her_ , but you keep blocking it. I am _not_ lying to you. I would _never_ lie to you. If I could go back in time  & tell you about her before she turned up, I would. But I didn't think you needed to know about her right now. Because I know that you are vulnerable & hurt by your past relationships & I just want you to be happy. And we have the chance to be happy, but how can I make you happy if you keep throwing up walls & shutting me out?”

“I let you in, despite the fact that my gut said no,” She replies. “I’d been broken & gave up on love. But the attraction between us was so strong, I thought ‘why not?’. I let you in, I let down those walls. We were happy. And all that time you were hiding this from me. You _knew_ how many trust issues I have,  & you went on & _lied_ to me. You lied over,  & over, & _over_ again.”

“I’m sorry,” I reply. “I wish you hadn't found out this way.”

“No, you're ashamed that I caught you out.”

“This isn't you.”

“This is me when I’ve just had my heart broken by the _one_ man I thought I could trust,” She replies. “And you know what? I was _seriously_ thinking about our future today. Of settling down with you, maybe having another baby with you. And maybe, just _maybe_ I was coming around to the idea of making long term plans with someone. But you know what hurts the _most_ in all of this?”

I sigh. “Honestly, it doesn't matter what I say. You're gonna ignore it.”

“What hurts the _most_ is that you had me fooled last night,” She replies. “You romanticised it all- painted the _perfect_ image, the undying love  & faithfulness. The promise to be there if I was pregnant, even if our relationship was gone. And yet that's _exactly_ what you've done to Rachael. You’ve _left_ her to raise your child on her own.”

I frown. “What?” I ask. “Rachael… No.” I shake my head. “That's not my baby.”

“Stop _lying_!” She shouts.

“I’m _not_!” I shout back. I sigh, before continuing normally. “I get that you're hurt,  & I wish I could break through those defensive walls & make that pain go away. But I am being honest with you. Every word that I have _ever_ said to you is the truth. And that's because I’m in love with you. I’ve loved you from the very moment I saw you at _The Waterhole_. This whole situation kills me. Because I stopped loving Rachael long before I met you. Long before she fell pregnant. She's gone  & knocked herself up in the hopes of tricking me into reconciliation. It's not working, cause I know the truth. Because the _only_ woman I have slept with in a long time is you. I may be a guy, but I know the maths. That baby is _not_ mine.”

She shakes her head.

“You're pushing me away, & I get why,” I reply. “But you need to stop listening to the pain & start listening to what I’m saying. Because I feel you slipping away, & I don't want to lose you. And I know, under all that hurt & anger, that you don't want to lose me too.”

“Or maybe I’m finally realising that I shouldn't have let you into my life so openly.”

“Marrying her was the worst mistake.”

“Guess we’ve both made our worst mistakes.”

I step towards her, but she steps back as the tears fall.

“The only difference is… I’m getting out before it destroys me.”

“What… What are you saying?”

“I’m sorry,” She says, backing towards the front door. “It's over.”

“Aer,” I plead, stepping towards her.

She backs away as she shakes her head.

“It’s over,” she says again.

I stand there in shock as she turns & disappears inside. _The woman I love is gone. And her final words echo in my mind…_

_“It's over.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's next for Erin? Will she regret letting him go?


	53. Drunk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin wakes up not at hers after getting drunk to forget her broken heart. As she figures out the missing pieces of the previous night, the one person who can answer it all just might hold the biggest surprise...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I wrote this late last night because a friend was desperate to read it (given I told her where this was going several weeks ago). And now it's here for all of you to read! I'm sure it's going to throw up a few surprises, & I promise you there's a full explanation for it (especially the end) next chapter!

I stir, groaning as my head hurts before I’ve even opened my eyes. I open my eyes slowly, the room coming in to focus… _Not my bedroom ceiling_. I look around the room. _Definitely not my bedroom_. I sit up, noticing I’m in an overly large t-shirt.

I try to remember what happened last night, but… Nothing. So I fold back the sheets & get up, holding my forehead as my head throbs. _Definitely hung over_.

I spot my clothes draped over a chair, my handbag on the seat & my shoes on the floor in front of it. I get dressed, collect my handbag & shoes, & leave the room. I vaguely remember going to _The Waterhole_ to drown my sorrows following having my heart crushed. The irony of going to the place where I had it crushed is overwhelming… Which must be why I can't remember anything else- I must have gotten pretty wasted.

I look around the hallway for any signs of whose house this is. But there's no personal photos- just a range of artwork. _Maybe I had a drunken one-night stand…_

“Awww, damn! I was hoping to see you in the light of day wearing my shirt,” A familiar male voice says.

I spin around, seeing him standing further down the hallway. Shirtless.

“Ned,” I mumble.

His well-toned chest is on display, & I can't help but stare at it.

“Come on,” he says, tilting his head towards the kitchen. “I’ll get you some breakfast.”

I walk down the hallway, it suddenly hitting me that I’m in Lauren's house. _Shit. Lauren._

“Don't worry,” he says, as if he knows what I’m thinking. “We're alone.”

I frown at him, but he turns & heads for the kitchen.

****

He places a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon & buttered toast in the bench in front of me. I peer over my glass of water, raised to drink from, at him.

“Dig in,” he says.

I set my glass down & pick up the cutlery as he comes around & sits down on the stool next to me with his own plate of the same thing.

“So, do you remember anything about last night?”

“Going to _The Waterhole_ to get drunk,” I reply. “Which, given the searing headache, I’d say I achieved that.”

He smiles. “I found you there. You were drunk already, so… I can't help you regain all your memory.”

“But you know how I ended up from there, to here.”

“You were drunk, Sheila was going to call Mark to come get you, but I offered to look after you. Didn't think it was worth making him come get you when I was there.”

I nod. “But that doesn't explain why I’m here, & not at mine.”

He gives me a sympathetic smile. “You were too drunk to take home,” he replies. “You could barely walk, &… Trying to get you into a house without waking up three youngsters & all the other adults… That's a feat I didn't want to test out.”

“Huh, true.”

“So I brought you here,” he replies. “Brad's taken Lauren away for the week, so the house is empty except me. No risk of waking anyone up.”

“Did we…”

He looks at me, waiting for me to continue. I raise my eyebrow, giving him a look.

“I slept on the couch,” he replies, & I sigh. “Not that you didn't give your best to end up in the same bed as me.”

“Uh… What?”

“You came on to me,” he replies. “Quite strongly.”

I groan, covering my face with both hands.

“I was a real gentleman, & didn't let it go any further. I sent you back to my bed, even though watching you drunkedly walk around in my shirt was quite hard to resist.”

“Oh, how kind of you,” I sarcastically reply.

“But… You did kiss me.”

I gape.

“We could… Always kiss again?” He says. “See if it jogs your memory.”

I laugh… Until I see how confused he is, & that's when I realise he means it.

“Oh,” I reply. “You're being serious.”

****

**The night before…**

I lie down on the couch under a spare doona. I sigh, forcing back the way too tempting thoughts of her being naked in my bedroom. I could always just slip in there, kiss her & take full advantage of her drunk state to make love to her. But if I’m going to do it, if I’m going to make love to her, I want it to be for real. I want her to be wanting it just as much as I do. Not a drunken mistake.

I feel the doona shift & a weight on top of me, mainly on my hips. I let my eyes adjust to the low light, & she comes into view. She’s straddling me, wearing one of my shirts. She places her hands on my bare chest, leaning down so our faces are close.

“You should come curl up in bed with me,” She whispers, louder than she thinks she's being.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m fine out here.”

“Really?” She replies, & I’m sure she's raised an eyebrow. “I thought you wanted me?”

“I do,” I reply. “I want you so bad.”

“Well, you have a chance right now.”

“Not like this.”

“Awww, come on,” She says, sitting up slowly as she slides her hands over my chest. “We’re all alone… You want me… I want _you_ …”

She grinds her hips, rubbing herself against my crotch- nothing between us but her undies, the doona & my boxers. I groan, feeling myself get hard. I involuntarily twitch my hips. She grinds her hips against mine & I moan again.

“See, you like it,” She says. “I could do a _lot_ more.”

I inhale deeply, resisting the urge to give in & cross that line.

“You need to go.”

“And you need to come with me.”

“Sure.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

She grinds again & I moan loudly. Giggling, she gets up. I push back the doona & get up. I put my hands on her shoulders, turn her around & march her back to my bedroom. It takes a lot of effort to resist the urge to kiss her neck, to pull my shirt up & slide my hand between her legs & rub her.

We reach my bedroom & I stop in the doorway. She walks over to my bed, as seductively as she can while drunk, & sits down on the end of my bed. She leans back, supporting her weight on her hands & spreads her legs- my shirt riding up just high enough I seriously consider breaking my own promise.

“What are you waiting for, stud?” She asks.

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I summon the strength to close the door. Once it's shut, I head back to the lounge, running my hand over my face. _It's going to be a long night_.

****

“Oh,” She says. “You're being serious.”

I nod, maintaining eye contact with her for a long minute. I watch her eyes drop- first to my lips, then my bare chest, & then up to my lips again. I can tell that she's resisting the urge to kiss me.

She swallows hard. “I should… I should go.”

“You don't have to.”

“Yeah, I should.”

“I sent a text to Mark earlier,” I reply. “Told him you were here, so he wouldn't worry.”

“I really should get going,” She replies, getting up.

I grab her hips as she stands, pulling her closer to me between my legs. She places her hands flat on the front of my shoulders to stop herself from toppling over from the sudden forward motion. We stare at each other, both fighting the chemistry between us.

And it all gets too much for me. I slip my right hand up to cup the back of her head, my left hand still holding her hip, & pull her even closer. I press my lips against hers, finally getting to kiss her. She's startled at first, instinctively pushing back to try & get away. But then she gives in, eagerly kissing me back. She presses herself against me, her left arm wrapping around my neck as her right hand slides into my hair. She moans into my mouth, really getting into our kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that's an odd spot to end on, but it's always been in my plan to end this chapter like this. So what will this mean for Erin from now on? Is it too soon to be with another man? Or is this just a rebound?


	54. FWB

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's faced with unknown territory- should she go there with Ned? Or is it too soon after her heartache?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really churning these chapters out! I guess it's finally reaching that point I've been wanting to reach for a while... I've wanted to do this arc with Erin for some time now.

Our bodies press together as we deepen our kiss. _It feels so good to be wanted like this_. His left hand slips under my top, sliding up my back  & he rests it with his fingers splayed over my spine just under my shoulder blades. I can feel us building up to taking it further, & suddenly I’m reminded of Jay. The way it felt to be in his arms, to feel loved when I’m broken, & being with Ned just doesn’t feel right.

I place my hands on his chest & push back, forcing him away. He chases my lips, but I push his chest harder.

“I… I can’t do this,” I say.

He stares at me in disbelief. “What?”

“I’m sorry.”

I step around him & he tries to stop me but I push his hand away. I grab my handbag & shoes & walk out, not looking back.

****

“Hey,” Mark says.

He’s in his uniform, on his way to work as I reach the front door.

“Hey,” I say, giving him a weak smile.

He looks at my shoes still in my hands. I’d not stopped to put them on since leaving Ned’s. He then looks up at me, & I can tell he’s thinking it’s a walk of shame.

“Don’t,” I say. “I was just in a rush to leave. Nothing happened.”

He nods, raising his hands. “Wasn’t gonna say anything.”

“Good.”

“All I was gonna say is, I’m glad that Ned helped you last night,” he replies. “I wish that I’d been there, but at least you weren’t alone or been taken advantage of by some stranger.”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “Anyway… I should let you go. And I need a shower.”

He nods. “Oh, Aaron’s taken Felicity to childcare for you. Paige offered to have her stay home with her, but… Aaron thought she has her hands full enough with our two.”

I smile. “I’ll thank him for that later.”

He nods. “I also don’t want you to take what I’m about to say the wrong way,” He says. “I’m just looking out for you.”

I nod. “I know you are. You always do.”

He smiles. “Yeah.”

“So… what did you want to say?”

“Just that… I get that you’re hurt by all of this stuff with Jay, but… going out & getting so drunk you have to crash at a friend’s house… It’s not going to do anything good for you.”

“Yeah, that’s…” I shake my head. “I’m not going to do that again.”

He nods. “Good,” he replies. “I’m here if you want to talk.”

I nod, giving him a small smile. “Thanks.”

He wraps his arms around me. I sigh, resting my head on his chest as I wrap my arms around him. He kisses the top of my head.

****

I have a shower, & find my thoughts returning to Ned. To our kiss. And I feel the longing, the need to be with him again. To lie in bed as we make love. _I shouldn’t be feeling this way_. I’ve just had my heart broken. _Again_. I shouldn’t jump into another relationship, to try  & have sex with another man who will just end up breaking my heart. I shouldn’t be wanting to fuck him senseless when he’s practically my brother. And yet… here I am, having as shower & wishing he was here with me.

I rest my back against the wall & close my eyes, trying to slow my breathing. But my brain has other ideas- imagining Ned kissing my neck as he holds my hips. He slips his hand between my legs & I gasp as he teases me. I moan as he continues to tease me, before lifting me up & sliding himself into me. He presses me hard against the wall as he thrusts into me & we both moan.

I snap back to reality when my mobile buzzes, the noise making me jump as it echoes in the silent room. I turn off the water, grab my towel as I step out & wrap it around me as I cross to it. I reach for my mobile, but it stops just as my fingers brush it. I sigh in annoyance as I pick it up. I turn the screen on- one missed call from one of my clients. I unlock it, about to call him back when they text. I frown at the simple message, saying that I’m late for our meeting. I look at the time- _Oh shit! I am!_

I send him a reply, apologising & asking to delay it further. I quickly dry off & dry my hair. I quickly go get dressed & hurry out.

****

“Hey,” Mark says as he walks over to me as I’m sitting outside _Harold’s_.

“Hey, Mark,” I reply. “How are the little ones?”

“Good, good,” he replies. “I actually wanted to thank you.”

I frown. “For?”

“For what you did last night,” he says. “Making sure Erin was safe. I really appreciate you being there for her.”

I smile. “No worries.”

“She’s having a rough time at the moment, so it’s really nice to see she has someone other than me or our brothers looking out for her.”

I nod. “Hey,” I say, as he turns to go. He turns back. “What… what exactly happened?”

He frowns. “You don’t know?”

I shake my head. “She was saying a lot of weird things last night. Not entirely sure what to take as real.”

He sighs. “Well, she just found out the man she’s been dating is married.”

I gape. “Wow.”

He nods. “Yeah. So she dumped him,” He replies. “And decided getting wasted was a good way of coping.”

“Right,” I say. “That explains a lot.”

He frowns. “What?”

“Oh, um… nothing. Just something she said this morning.”

He looks confused but nods. “Well, thanks again.”

“You’re welcome,” he replies. “Uh… so she wouldn’t be interested in…” I shrug. “Having another relationship?”

He frowns. “She’s _just_ gotten out of a pretty serious relationship,” He replies. “And given how messed up she was going into that, given how her last ex tried to murder her… I really think she’ll be steering clear of any relationships for a long time.”

“Yeah, of course.”

He frowns. “You’re not… interested. Are you?”

“What? Me?” I ask. “ _Nooo_. She’s basically related to me.”

He nods. “Still… you tried it on with Lauren, & she was even closer related to you than Erin.”

I roll my eyes. “What happened between Lauren & I was a stupid mistake. I’m not going to make the same mistake.”

****

I’m jogging up the street at the end of my run. My meeting was a disaster, & I decided a run would be a good move to clear my mind. I see a car in the corner of my eye, & turn to look at it. It’s Ned. I sigh, & jog towards mine.

“Erin!” He calls.

I stop at the end of my drive & sigh. I turn around, watching him cross the road to me. He smiles & I resist the deep urge to jump him.

“What do you want?” I ask, panting from my run as I put my hands on my hips.

“Wow, you really have the knack to sound annoyed for no reason,” He replies.

“I’m annoyed cause I wanna go inside & get a drink to cool off.”

He nods. “Won’t keep you long.”

“Okay,” I reply, still breathing heavily.

I see him stare at my chest, watching it rise & fall as I pant. I see his hand twitch as he resists the urge to touch me.

“You gonna say what you came over to say?” I ask. “Or do I have to watch you blatantly perve on me?”

He looks up, meeting my eyes. “I just wanted to say that I understand that you don’t want to have a relationship, & to be honest, I don’t blame you. You’ve had a rough time.”

“Yeah. So?”

“There’s clearly a lot of sexual attraction between us, & it’s bad because we’re kinda related,” he replies. “You’re not interested in a relationship, &… So am I. I like to have fun. So… how about we just see where this goes. Just… have some fun.”

“ _What_?”

“I’m saying we be friends,” he replies, stepping closer. “With benefits.”

I raise my eyebrow.

“We both get to have fun, this… attraction between us is fulfilled,” He replies. “And you don’t have to worry about being left broken hearted, because technically we won’t be dating. So what do you say?”

He’s close enough to kiss & my breath catches in my throat. He smirks & leans in to kiss me. But I pull back. He looks away & sighs.

“Normally I like it when women play hard to get,” he says. “But you… it’s frustrating having you taunt me.”

“Just… give me some time to think about it.”

He looks at me- pleading & longing. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”

And with that, he walks off.

****

“Hey,” I say to Az as I step over to him in the kitchen.

We’ve just finished dinner & he’s doing some of the cleaning up.

“Hey,” he replies.

“Firstly, thanks for taking care of Felicity ever since… Jay…”

He nods. “It’s fine. We’re here for you.”

“Good,” I reply. “Cause… I need to ask you a favour.”

He frowns slightly.

“I need you to look after her again.”

“When?”

“Now?”

He nods. “Where are you going?”

“I need to talk to Ned.”

He nods. “You know, you should be careful.”

“Careful?”

He sighs. “I see the way he looks at you,” he replies. “If you spend too much time around him, he’s going to get the wrong idea.”

I smile. “We’re just friends.”

“Okay,” he replies. “Sure. Go over & talk to him. I’ll look after Felicity.”

I smile. “Thanks, Az.”

“You’re welcome.”

I kiss his cheek. “I love you.”

“Love you too, sis.”

****

I walk to the front door as someone knocks continuously on the door. I pull it open, surprised to see Erin standing there.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hi,” She says, smiling.

“Didn’t think I’d see you.”

“Yeah, well… I’ve… I been thinking,” She replies, looking slightly awkward.

“I’m hoping that’s about my offer,” I reply, smirking.

She hesitates, clearly flustered. “It’s…” She sighs. “I’m not one to be having those kind of relationships. It’s just not me.”

I nod, disappointed. “Right.”

“However…”

I look at her.

“My run of relationships has been… a giant train wreck,” I reply. “And maybe I’m being stupid ruling out having a non-serious relationship.”

I frown. “What are you saying?”

“I’m saying…” She looks me over. “I wanna give this a go.”

I smile. “Really?”

She nods. “It’s going against all my instincts, but…” She sighs. “Following my instincts when it comes to my love life hasn’t proven to be very successful, so… I’m ditching them.”

I step closer to her, smirking when her breath catches. We stare each other. I wanna build the tension for as long as I can.

She grabs me, pulling me down & crashing my lips against hers. I pull her close, wrapping my arms around her tightly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehehehe! I like to tease you all, don't I? ;) Next chapter, things really do heat up. It's gonna be explosive!


	55. Sneaking Around (On A Night Like This)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's steamy night leads to questions, while she gets an unexpected reminder of her past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first of two updates today, cause I wasn't able to post this one last night since I was writing the next chapter for a friend to read. But anyway...

I lead him down to his room. I step inside, but he pulls me back. He pushes my back against the doorframe, & I tilt my head up to meet his lips. He pushes against me, pinning me to the small wall & I moan into his mouth as I feel his erection. I dig my nails into his scalp, forcing him to deepen our kiss. He slides his hands under my shirt, gripping the skin on my waist hard.

I force his shirt up, eager to not have an inch of anything between us & we break our kiss for a split second to pull it over his head. I toss it aside as he claims my lips again. But then he's pulling my shirt off, once again forcing us to part. He tosses it aside, neither of us caring where it lands, & he kisses me again.

He lifts me up & I wrap my legs around his waist. Once again, he presses me hard against the doorframe & I moan into his mouth as his erection rubs me. He kisses down my neck & I dig my nails into his back. I grind my hips against his, desperate to have him inside me, & he growls before pushing me harder against the doorframe so I can't move.

“I want you,” I whisper into his ear.

He stops, still holding me hard against the doorframe, & stares into my eyes.

“Stop getting so impatient,” he replies. “Good things come to those who wait.”

“But if you stop with the foreplay,” I reply. “We get to have more fun with the rest of it.”

“Are you always this pushy with your boyfriends?”

“Shut up,” I reply. “There's only one noise I wanna hear come out of your mouth right now, & so far… I’m not hearing it.”

He thrusts his hips & I gasp. He smirks, before returning to kiss my neck. I return the favour by grinding my hips as hard as I can against his, our jeans rubbing together. He bites my skin & I dig my nails into his back.

He steps back, pulling me with him as he wraps an arm around my back to keep me pressed to him. He turns & walks over to his bed as we kiss. Instead of lowering me onto it, he turns around & sits down on the end so I’m straddling him. He splays his hands over my back, my hands in his hair as I grind my hips again, frustrated that he's not moaning.

“Stop it,” he growls, gripping my hips incredibly hard to stop me.

“Get us naked & I won't have to,” I whisper against his lips.

“Can't I enjoy holding you for a while?”

“Not when I came here to fuck, not straddle you while we make out.”

He pulls back, eyebrow raised. “You want more than just a make out session?”

“Well, duh.”

He undoes my bra, pulls the straps down off my arms & then tosses it aside. He kisses from the base of my neck down my chest, capturing my right nipple in his mouth. I arch my back as he lightly bites it, before sucking it. He teases me, playing with it for some time before he does the same to my other nipple.

Fed up, I push him back, smirking as he falls back so he's lying down. I grind my hips again as hard as I can. He bites his bottom lip, suppressing a moan. So I unbutton his jeans before unbuttoning & unzipping my jeans.

“Flip us & get these pants off,” I say. “I want you in me right now.”

“What if I want to tease you more?”

“I’ll get up, gather my clothes & leave.”

“Do you really think you can just walk away from this?”

“Just shut up,” I reply, grinding my hips.

He groans & I smirk. He pulls my arms, forcing me to lie down on him. He captures my lips, wrapping his arms around me & flips us so I’m underneath. He pulls back until he’s kneeling, & admires my naked upper half for a minute. I slip my right hand under the top of my jeans, under my undies & rub my clit. I moan as I rub myself, showing him that I can manage without him if need be. He pulls at my jeans, practically ripping them off & I smirk with satisfaction at finally making him snap. He rips my undies off & tosses them aside, before pushing my hand aside & rubbing his fingers through my folds making me gasp & arch my back.

He lifts up my hips, easily moving me further up the bed & gently lowers my hips down. He lies down & flicks my clit once.

“Oh, fuck!” I moan.

He licks me some more until I’m squirming. He then takes off his jeans & boxers. He shifts closer & places his right hand flat on my lower stomach. He rubs my clit & I arch my back. I watch him through half closed eyes as he smirks, rubbing his left hand up & down his cock. He shifts even closer & pushes the head against my opening, & I moan. He pushes in just a little & my moan gets louder. He waits a moment, before sliding all the way in & we sigh contentedly. I can feel that he's all the way inside me, & it feels _soooo good!_

He rubs my clit again & I cry out, seeing stars from the intense pleasure. He then thrusts, building up a steady rhythm & all I can do is lie there & grip the doona cover as I close my eyes.

He lies down, bracing himself on his forearms as he continues to thrust. I wrap my legs around him, both of us moaning. He thrusts deeper & I cry out- he muffles it by claiming my lips with his.

I can feel my orgasm building, my walls tightening around him. His thrusts get harder, as if he knows I’m almost there. This works & I moan into his mouth as it hits.

As I come down, he flips us & starts pushing my hips as he thrusts, making me pull back from his lips as I cry out.

“Be loud, baby,” he says. “I want to hear you enjoy this.”

“Only if you moan too!” I reply.

He shakes his head. So I sit up, biting back a loud moan as he sinks deeper into me. With him buried deep in me, I grind my hips. He fights to silence a moan. But the new position & movement sends so much pleasure through me, I struggle not to orgasm again.

“Don't fight it, babe,” he says, hands gripping my thighs. “Just let it out. Cum for me.”

I shake my head. “What about you?”

“Oh, I’m nowhere near being done,” he says. “I’m going to last a long time.”

As much as I try to resist, I orgasm, shaking from the intensity. He smirks. We keep going until he orgasms. Exhausted, we climb under the sheets & I fall asleep in his arms.

****

I stir, convinced it was all a dream. But before I even open my eyes, I feel her pressed against me. I open my eyes, instantly met by her bare shoulder. Her blonde hair falls either side of her left shoulder, partly obscuring her face. I kiss her shoulder over & over. She stirs, head turning towards me & I capture her lips with mine.

“What's the time?” She asks.

“Morning to you too.”

She sighs. “Sorry.”

“It's fine.”

She sits up & looks at my alarm clock on my bedside table.

“ _Shit_!” She replies, scrambling to push the covers back.

“What?” I ask, as she gets up.

“I gotta go!” She replies, hurrying to get her undies.

I look at the clock- it's barely 9am.

“What's the rush?”

She stops, undies on & bra in hand. “You're not the one who has to sneak into a house where my cop brother lives.”

I smirk. “I can sneak in if you want me to.”

She scoffs, before putting on her bra.

“Seriously, Erin,” I say. “Why don't you just hide out here until he goes to work?”

“I have to get to work myself.”

“Ditch it,” I reply, sitting up. “Stay here & spend the day with me.”

“Firstly, we’re not dating remember,” She replies, crossing to get her jeans. “And I have to keep working so I can raise my daughter.”

And there it is- the punch to the gut. I'm sure Felicity is a great kid, I did meet her at Paige & Mark’s naming ceremony, but it's a reminder that I’ll always be second. And yet, I'm wanting this to last. I want to be with her. I know I shouldn't, this will always be nothing more than sex, but… She's amazing. And I want her in my life.

“I gotta go,” She says, snapping me from my thoughts.

She's fully dressed now, & all I wanna do is pull her back to bed & make love to her.

“I’ll talk to you later,” she says.

“Come back tonight,” I reply. “I’d like to see you again.”

She smiles. “We’ll see,” She replies. “I need to spend some time with my baby girl.”

I get up, smirking as I see her eyes drop to my cock as I walk over to her.

“Come back tonight,” I say. “Or I’ll come over to yours.”

“Nuh uh, no way.”

“Why not?”

“Uhh… Cause if either Mark or Paige get wind of our… Arrangement, I will _never_ hear the end of it.”

“Why?” I ask. “We’re both consenting adults.”

“Who are technically related.”

I cup her cheek. “Just makes it that much hotter,” I reply before kissing her.

I push her backwards, pressing her up against the wall & she moans. But just as I’m deepening our kiss, she pushes me away.

“I gotta go,” She says, stepping towards the door. “Bye.”

“Oh, you're gonna pay for that!” I call after her.

****

I sneak in the back, getting all the way in to the kitchen before…

“Morning, sis,” Mark says, making me jump.

He's leaning against the doorframe of the doorway through to the bedrooms, his arms crossed.

“Jesus, Mark!”

“How come you were out all night?” He asks. “What were you discussing with Ned that took all night?”

“We got talking, & next thing I know, it's late,” I reply. “So I slept there… On his couch.”

He nods. “Right.”

I tilt my head. “What?”

“You seem to be spending a lot of time over there.”

“He's a friend.”

“So was Jay.”

I glare at him. “That was different.”

“Really?”

“What's your point, Mark?”

“I'm just looking out for my sister,” he replies. “Especially when she's had such a hard time.”

“I can look after myself.”

“By spending all your time with the bad boy across the street?”

I raise my eyebrow. “He's your brother-in-law.”

“He's yours too.”

“What's your problem with him anyway?” I ask, crossing my arms.

“You're not handling breaking up with Jay,” he says. “And I’m worried that he's taking advantage of your fragile state of mind.”

I step towards him. “ _Nothing_ is going on between Ned  & I,” I reply. “And even if there was something going on, I really don't see how you could have a problem. Because I could do a _lot_ worse than Ned. Like… I was _very_ wasted two nights ago. Could've gone home with _anyone_. Thankfully, Ned turned up  & took me home. He's just a friend. And I need one now more than ever.” I place my hands on his chest. “So _please_ stop being so protective.”

He sighs. “I'm just… Worried about you.”

I smile. “And I appreciate it,” I reply. “But… I can handle it.”

“I'm still going to worry.”

I nod. “I know.”

He pulls me into a hug.

****

I’m working at _The Waterhole_ when Ned comes in. I quickly gather my stuff up  & head for the door.

“Hey,” he says, smiling as I pass him.

“Hey,” I reply, not stopping.

“Erin,” he replies, following me outside. “ _Erin_!”

I stop, letting him catch up.

“I was wondering,” he says. “If you were planning on spending the night with me?”

“And as I said earlier,” I reply. “I’ll have to think about it.”

He frowns. “Have I done something wrong?”

“This. What we have,” I reply. “It's just fun.”

He looks confused. “Yeah?”

“And yet you're acting like a boyfriend.”

“So… Me wanting to spend another night with you in a house where we won't get disturbed is considered boyfriend zone?”

I sigh. “Mark’s already suspicious about the two of us,” I reply. “He caught me sneaking back in this morning. Asked a lot of questions about us suddenly hanging out. So I’d rather stay at mine tonight. Get him off my back for a bit.”

“Would it really be that bad if he knew about us?”

“He’s already being overly protective & that's off him _thinking_ there's something going on,” I reply. “He's going to lose it if he finds out. He already thinks I’m not coping after my break-up. Finding out that I’m sleeping with you…” I shake my head.

He sighs. “Alright.”

“Good.”

“But I would like to see you again,” he says, stepping closer.

“Don't,” I reply, stepping back. “You need to start downplaying it in public.”

He raises his eyebrow. “Ashamed of me, huh?”

“No,” I reply & he smiles. “I just don't want people catching on. _Especially_ when there's Sheila in the area.”

He nods. “Duly noted.”

I place my hand on his chest. “Thank you.”

“You can thank me tomorrow,” he replies. “In the afternoon?”

I sigh, rolling my eyes slightly. “You're unbelievable.”

“What? Because I want to make the most of an empty house with a beautiful woman?”

“I have work.”

“You feeling me up completely contradicts that.”

“What? I'm not feeling you up!”

He looks down at my hand, which is still on his chest. I quickly remove it. He smirks.

“Come on,” he says. “Come over tomorrow afternoon. We’ll have some afternoon delight.”

“Oh, how subtle of you!”

“I like being forward with you.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Well, I find it arrogant of you.”

He smirks. “You're still gonna sleep with me.”

“Urgh!” I reply, rolling my eyes.

I step around him & walk away.

****

“Oh, that's fantastic!” Aaron says as I walk in the front door, Felicity in my arms.

He's sitting at the kitchen bench, talking on his mobile, his smile & excitement vanishing as he sees me.

“Uh, mate, I gotta go,” He replies. He listens to the other end. “Yep.” Listens again as I shut the front door. “I am really happy about that. Keep me posted, yeah? Okay, bye.”

He hangs up. I put Felicity down.

“Baby girl,” I say to her. “Go play with your toys over in the lounge, okay?”

“Okay,” she says.

I give her a kiss & watch her walk into the lounge. I cross to Aaron. I give him an awkward smile.

“Heyyyy,” I say.

“Hey,” he replies. “How was your day?”

“Good,” I reply. “So… Was that…”

“Jay?” He asks.

I nod.

“It was him.”

I exhale slowly. “So he's still… Your client.”

He slowly nods. “He tried to quit,” he replies. “But I talked him out of it. I didn't want him to be giving up our great work relationship just because things didn't work out between you two.”

I raise my eyebrow. “And how am I meant to feel about that?”

He closes his eyes. “I didn't mean to make it sound like I don't care about you, Aer.”

“Mmm.”

“Look. Jay has potential. I wanna help him,” he replies. “I respect that you're hurt. And I do care about you. But… I’m following you. You keep your work & professional life separate. That's what I’m doing.”

I sigh. “You're right,” I reply. “I guess I just wasn't expecting to hear you talking to him.”

He smiles sympathetically. “I know. It's why I ended it.”

“So… How… How is he?”

“He's good,” he replies. “Misses you.”

I sigh. “He shouldn't.”

“He was in love with you,” he replies. “Still is, actually.”

“But he has a wife.”

“ _Ex_ wife.”

“She was wearing her wedding rings.”

“Have you actually talked to him about it?”

“No.”

“Then I really don't think you should be so judgmental about the situation,” he replies. “Look. He misses you. But he's gone away. There's a few opportunities for him to sing interstate, & he’s taking them up. Which… He needs right now. He's still trying to get over you.”

“He should have thought about that.”

“There, _that's_ the judgement I want you to put aside,” he replies. “I want to tell you the whole story, because you need to know all the facts. But that attitude… No wonder he’s desperate to go interstate.”

That hits me like a punch to the gut.

“He wants to be with you,” he replies. “But he understands that you're too angry right now. So he's burying himself in his career so you can have the space you need in order to see the truth.”

Aaron gets up & walks out. I stand there for a minute, reeling from his words. _Have I been too harsh with Jay?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So things are heating up between Erin & Ned. But could it be a fast burn? What will Mark say when he finds out? And will Erin ever find out the full story of Jay’s past?


	56. Feileachán

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin makes a decision, Ned's got conflicted feelings & they're secret is about to get exposed...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small chapter but totally worth it!!! (And if you knew what I've got planned, you'd understand how much I hate myself for how Ned feels.)

I rest my forehead on his shoulder, both of us panting as we come down. I had a rough night’s sleep last night, after Aaron’s comments to me about Jay. It had reopened wounds I thought were closed for good. And so this morning, I cancelled all of my meetings after taking Felicity to childcare so the others don't get suspicious, & then came over here to have it on with him. Against his bedroom wall.

He lifts my head up & kisses me. He pushes against me, pinning me to the wall & I moan from the pressure of still having him in me.

“I wish I could keep you like this forever,” he whispers.

“Well, you can't.”

“Oh, don't,” he says. “Getting bossy with me just makes me want you so much more.”

I smirk. “So why don't you take full advantage of my current position?”

He stares at me, trying to figure out if I’m being serious. So I flex my lower muscles, tightening around his cock. He moans, head bowing as grips my thighs.

“Get to it, boy,” I whisper. “Or I will do that again.”

He holds my chin. “God, you're so fucking hot right now.”

“Fuck. Me,” I mouth.

He kisses me, distracting me for a few seconds- long enough to pull almost all the way out of me, before thrusting in so hard I scream.

****

“So what exactly did he do to you?” He asks, wrapping his arms around me from behind as we stand in the kitchen.

“Who did what?” I reply.

“The man who has you scared enough not to want anything more serious than what we have,” he replies. “What did he do to shake such a strong woman?”

All the emotions come flooding back, & I can't breathe. He’s swaying a little, the movement pushing my hips against the bench- it's all too suffocating. I place my hands on the bench & force him back. I slip out of his arms, heading out of the kitchen.

“Hey, what's wrong?” He asks, following me.

“I don't wanna talk about that,” I reply.

He stops me, turning me around to face him.

“It's okay,” he says, cupping my left cheek. “You don't have to.”

“I want to, it's just…” I sigh. “It hurts too much to talk about it.”

He nods. “You don't have to,” he replies. “Not right now.”

I pull him in for a kiss.

****

**The next day**

“You do tattoos, right?” I ask him as he makes us some food.

“Yeah,” he replies. “I mean, I prefer to design them than actually do them, but… I am trained to do it.”

“Awesome,” I reply, leaning forward. “I want one.”

He raises his eyebrow. “You serious?”

“Yeeeaaah.”

“How long have you thought about it?”

“Long enough to know that I want to do this.”

“You know it shouldn't be something you make a rushed decision about.”

“I’ve been thinking about it for years.”

“Alright,” he replies, nodding. “What are you thinking of getting & where?”

“Well… My name literally means Ireland,” I reply. “So I was thinking of an Irish theme.”

“What? Like a leprechaun, or a clover or a map of Ireland?”

“Ha ha,” I reply flatly.

He smirks. “Okay, what are you thinking?”

“Well… My Celtic zodiac sign is the butterfly.”

He snort laughs.

“What?”

“You want a tramp stamp?”

I gape. “ _Nooo_ ,” I reply. “I want to get a butterfly. Green & Purple, cause they go nicely together & my favourite colour is purple. And I also wanna get the Irish word for butterfly written either under it or above, haven't figured exactly which yet.”

He nods. “Okay.”

“So…”

“So…?”

“Will you help me?”

He shrugs. “I’ll help you work out the design & recommend where to go to get it done…”

“I want _you_ to do it.”

He raises his eyebrow.

“Come on! I trust you!” I reply. “I don't want some random guy or woman doing it.”

“Yeah, & the last time I did a tattoo for someone on this street, her parents flipped,” He replies.

“Good thing my parents are interstate.”

“Yes, but… Your brothers are just across the street.”

“Pfft! I'm an adult & can make my own decisions.”

“Says the one hiding our relationship from her brothers.”

“One, I dislike you labelling it that,” I reply. “And two, they don't have to know that it was you who tattooed me.”

“Uhh, I don't know.”

“ _Pleeeease_!” I plead. “If you do it, I’ll make it worth your time.”

He drops the knife he’s using. “You're evil.”

I smirk. “It's called knowing how to persuade.”

“Well, you definitely have me wrapped around your pinkie.”

I hop off the stool & walk around to him.

“Thank you,” I say, before kissing his cheek.

He turns to me, cupping my face & presses his lips to mine.

****

I lie on my back, floating in the pool & sigh. _I can't get her off my mind_. I want her. More than just this no strings arrangement. I want to be able to call her my girlfriend. To walk around in public holding her hand, or my arm around her shoulders. I should be able to kiss her in public. I _want_ to kiss her in public. But I won't get that.

“Hey,” She says.

I move too fast at the sound of her voice, & end up flailing & sinking under. When I come up she’s fighting back laughter as she stands by the pool.

“Hey,” I reply, running a hand over my face. “How did you get in?”

“I do know how to use the side gate,” She replies. “And I figured you’d be out here.”

“How?”

“Freakishly warm weather for this time of the year… You love getting your shirt off at any opportunity… Need I go on?”

I glare at her slightly. “How's the tattoo healing?”

She nods. “Yeah, it's not as sore as it was.”

I’d done it a few days ago. The day she asked me to do it, we sat down & worked out the exact design. I drew out the design twice- with the writing in different spots so she could figure out which one she liked the most. I made her sleep on it before I did it for real, just to make sure she was absolutely sure she wanted it.

I nod. “Good.”

She reaches behind her, favouring her right shoulder more, which indicates her left is still a little sore from her tattoo, & then she's pulling off her dress, revealing a rather skimpy bikini. I swallow hard at the sight. She steps out of the dress, tossing it on the chair nearby & tosses her sunglasses to join it. She slips off her slip-on sandals, & then sits on the edge of the pool. She then pushes herself off, going under. I try to keep calm as I watch her swim over to me, not coming up until she's right in front of me.

She wastes no time closing the gap & kissing me. I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight as she wraps her arms around my neck & legs around my waist.

“What the _hell?!_ ”

We jump apart, turning towards the voice. Mark is standing at the pool fence on the house side, looking at us as he scowls, hands on his hips.

_Shit_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Mark say now that he knows? And how will Erin react?


	57. Struggle Against The Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark struggles to handle the news, while the real reason why Erin's connected with Ned is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, this fic is really getting harder to write again. Heavy stuff.

“Mark!” I call, rushing as fast as I can after him as he climbs our front steps.

I’m still wet from the pool, my dress clinging to me making it hard to move. I'm also worried about slipping from the water. He hasn't stopped walking since he left Ned’s backyard. After he sprung us, he demanded I get out & I had no choice to. He hadn't been impressed & had stormed out mid argument. So I quickly dressed & rushed after him.

“Mark, _please_!” I beg.

He ignores me, yanking the front door open. Aaron & Paige are standing in our kitchen, both looking at us in shock as we come in.

“What the _hell_ were you thinking?!” Mark says, spinning around to face me.

“Oh, so _now_ you wanna talk?” I reply.

“What's going on?” Aaron asks, walking over to stand between us, clearly noting how tense things are.

Mark looks at him. “Did you know about it?”

“Know what?”

“That our sister was over at Lauren’s, swimming with Ned.”

“Aren't they friends?” Paige asks.

“How many of your friends do you kiss while wearing a bikini?” Mark says.

Paige gapes at me. “You're dating my half brother?”

“We're _not_ dating!” I reply.

“It looked awfully like it!” Mark replies.

“We're _not_ , okay?” I reply. “It's more of a… Friends with benefits type of situation.”

Mark scoffs, shaking his head. “How long have you been… Whatever you want to call it?”

“Does it really matter?”

“Yes, because you're really not in the right frame of mind to be doing this.”

“You have _no idea_ what's going on in my head lately, Mark.”

“No, of _course_ I don't!” He snaps. “Because you're over there almost every day.”

“Well maybe I wouldn't be spending so much time over there if you weren't acting like you're my father.”

“Okay,” Aaron says, stepping further between us as he raises a hand out towards each of us. “You both need to calm down.”

“And what? Let her get away with sleeping with him?”

“I could go out & hook up with the first guy I see at _The Waterhole_ if you’d like?” I reply. “Or find a drug dealer  & let him fuck me in an alley.”

Mark clenches his jaw, hands tightening into fists.

“ _Erin_!” Aaron warns me.

“What?” I reply. “I'm just trying to make him see that Ned isn't the worst choice & he needs to chill.”

“You're losing it,” Mark says.

“Am I?”

“Yes. It sucks that Jay did what he did, but you're acting very immature ever since.”

“You know what? I can see that I’m not welcome in this house anymore.”

“That's not true, Aer,” Aaron replies.

I shake my head. “I’m not staying here with _him_ ,” I reply. “I’m moving out.”

“Oh, Erin. Please stay,” Paige says.

“If she wants to go,” Mark says. “Let her.”

“ _Mark!_ ” Paige & Aaron both say.

“I’ll start looking for somewhere else to live,” I reply. “But I’ll book into _Lassiter’s_ for tonight.”

“Please stay, Aer,” Aaron says, stepping closer. He continues softer. “You know he doesn't mean it.”

“I’m sorry, Az.”

I look at Mark, still glaring at me. I shake my head before walking through to my bedroom.

****

I had a shower, wishing I was back with Ned. I then dry my hair & grab my iPod to go for a walk. I find walking really clears my head. I find myself at _Sonya's Nursery_. Sonya is rarely there, but she is today.

“Hey Erin,” She says as I approach.

“Hey Sonya,” I reply, draping my headphones around my neck.

“I don't mean to pry, but… You look… Mad.”

“Mark listens to you.”

She pouts a little. “He does sometimes,” She replies. “Why? What's going on?”

I sigh. “How long have you got?”

“Enough time to talk to you. I told you you can come talk to me any time,” She replies. “Lets… Lets go sit down.”

We walk over to the bar, Sonya pulling off her gloves as we cross, & stay silent until we’re both sitting.

“I’m sure you know I broke up with Jay.”

She nods. “Yeah. I'm sorry things didn't work out between you two. You two seemed like a good couple.”

I force a smile. “Yeah, well… So did I. But fate has it's ways of screwing me over.”

“Are you… Are you sure on that?”

“He lied to me,” I reply. “About something so big, I can't forgive him for it.”

“Well… When you love someone… Sometimes it's better to just put aside your hurt & forgive them.”

I shake my head. “Anyway, that's not what I want to talk to you about.”

She nods. “Okay,” She replies. “You were asking about Mark before.”

I nod. “He's mad at me.”

“Okay,” She replies. “What for?”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “This week… I’ve been… Sorta seeing… Ned.”

She looks surprised. “Oh.”

“It's just a bit of fun, because I can't deal with everything that comes from breaking up with Jay,” I reply. “And Mark? He just found out earlier today, &…” I sigh. “He's furious. He's treating me like he's my father, not my big brother. And I really don't know what I’m supposed to do.”

“Okay,” She replies, nodding. “If you don't mind me asking… What is it that you're trying to hide? That you “can't deal with”. I just want to get an understanding of your side.”

I nod. “Having Jay lie to me the way he did,” I reply. “It brought up a lot of old wounds. From when I was… From after Eddie tried to kill me.”

"I remember,” She replies. “You really struggled. And attempted suicide.”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “I find myself with those dark thoughts again. That…” I sigh, fighting back tears. “I hate myself for having another failed relationship, that I’m alone again, with a small daughter who relies on me so I can't fall apart & its… its getting _way_ too hard to keep it all together. I want to give it all up.”

“Oh, Erin,” She says, placing a hand on my shoulder.

“Being with Ned,” I say. “It's helping me keep all that at bay. I feel… I feel wanted. I don't feel the pain, the heartache of breaking up with Jay, who I’d started to see spending the rest of my life with.” I fight back tears. “Being with Ned is keeping me going. And… I'm scared that if I stop being with him, that those dark thoughts are going to consume me… And I really don't think that I can come back if that happens.”

“I assume that, uh, Mark doesn't know that?”

I look at her with tears in my eyes. “He's being so stubborn. He's too angry to hear me out,” I say. I sniff. “I just hate it. We used to be so close. I could confide in him. But… He won't listen.”

“You just need to wait for the right time.”

I scoff. “I don't think that will happen.”

“Hey,” She says, rubbing my shoulder. “I’ve known your brother since he moved here. And I know that he has a tendency to get a little hot headed when he’s trying to protect the people that he cares about. You need to let him have some time to calm down, to get his head around this.” She smiles reassuringly. “From what you’ve said, & from what Mark’s told me about you two… It's clear that you two are close. He's used to you turning to him, & it's a shock for him to see you seeking comfort from someone else.”

“He could just say it, instead of getting so mad at me.”

“And you could tell him how you feel.”

“I was trying,” I reply. “But he got so angry, I couldn't take it. And then I made the stupidest attempt to snap him out of it, & said I’d move out.”

“Okay,” She says. “I’ll see if I can talk to him. Get him to give you a chance.”

I force a smile, tears falling. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

****

I sigh, relaxing into the booth at _Harold's_ on my break from work. I hate myself for getting so mad at Erin. But she's getting out of control,  & I don't know how to make her see it.

I pick up my coffee & take a sip just as the door opens & Sonya comes in. She sees me & I smile weakly at her.

“Ah, good,” She says as she steps over. “Just the person I need to talk to.”

I frown as I put my coffee down. “Everything okay?”

“Well… Sort of,” She replies as she takes a seat across from me. “I had a visitor at the nursery earlier.”

I tense, worried about her. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. It's nothing bad.”

I nod. “Good.”

“It was Erin.”

My breath catches. “Right.”

“She told me what's going on.”

I sigh. “Great.”

“She opened up to me because she doesn't know how to break through to you,” She says. “She tried explaining something to you earlier, & you shut her out.”

I lean forward. “Did she tell you everything about the situation?”

“Yes,” She replies. “Plus everything that she's desperate to tell you, but you're letting your anger & wounded pride get in the way.”

I frown. “I don't have a wounded pride.”

She tilts her head. “You need to put aside your anger & see what she's scared to tell you.”

I frown. “What?” I ask. “She's scared to tell me something?”

Hearing her say that cuts deep. Erin has always turned to me for advice. So hearing that she's scared to come to me hits home hard.

“You need to talk to her, Mark,” Sonya says. “It needs to come from her.”

I sigh. “She hates me.”

“Not true,” She replies. “All she wants is her big brother to hear her out. She needs you to be there for her, but you're blocking her out.” She sighs. “Look. You want to be there for her. She wants you to. Whatever issue you have with her being with him, forget about it long enough to let her open up.”

I shake my head. “I can't.”

“You know she said you're acting like you're her father,” She says. “So stop being so protective of her & let her tell you what she needs to. You’ll find you’ll get back on good terms with her.” She pats my hand. “I’ll let you think about it.”

I force a smile as she stands. I watch her leave as I take a deep breath in. I roll my eyes slightly as I exhale. _Maybe I should talk to her._

****

I walk out of my bedroom, having unpacked after Aaron had convinced me to stay. I step out into the living area, stopping when I spot Mark in the lounge.

“Aer,” He says just as I turn around to head back to my bedroom.

“What now?” I ask, turning to him.

“Come & talk to me,” he says. “Please.”

I sigh, before walking over to me. He moves to the other end of the couch & we sit down.

“I want to apologise for getting angry at you before,” He says. “I'm just worried about you.”

I nod. “I know,” I reply. “I said some pretty bad things this morning too.”

He smiles slightly. “So what's going on?” He asks. “Sonya mentioned you're scared to talk to me.”

“I know that you're worried about me, & that you want to protect me. But I’m doing okay,” I reply. “Maybe I need to stop fighting it & just go off the rails. Maybe I’m meant to do the craziest things in order to stop all of this pain & destruction in my life.”

“Aer,” he says. “I don't think that it's a good idea. I want you to rely on me to keep you together instead of falling apart like this.”

I give him a small smile. “I appreciate that, but,” I reply. I shake my head. “I can't.”

“Why not?”

I lick my lip, fighting back tears. “Losing Jay has… Brought back the dark thoughts,” I reply. “And… It may be stupid, but…” I swallow the lump in my throat. “Being with Ned somehow keeps those thoughts from taking over. I'm…” I sigh.

“Erin,” he says softly as he reaches for me.

“I need to do this, Mark,” I reply. “Someday I may look back on this, & be ashamed of it all. But… Right now, it feels right.”

“Why didn't you come to me about this?”

“Because you have more important things to worry about. Like your babies.”

“You are important to me, Aer,” he replies, shifting closer. “You're my little sister. I don't want you to feel like you can't come to me.”

I fight back tears. “I shouldn't have to keep relying on you.”

“Hey,” he says, taking hold of my hands. “Don't do that. I’m always going to be there for you. And for Felicity.”

“So do one thing for me.”

He smiles. “Anything for my baby sis.”

“Let me keep on being with Ned.”

He looks shocked. “ _What?!_ ”

“Please, Mark.”

He shakes his head. “I can't.”

“If I stop this thing with Ned, I have no doubt that those dark thoughts are going to consume me.”

“They won't consume you, okay?” He replies. “I'm going to be there for you.”

I shake my head. “You can't this time,” I reply. “Just let me do this, please.”

“Aer…”

“I can't handle it without him.”

“Aer,” he begs.

“Do you _really_ want me to end up in hospital again?” I ask, getting to my feet. “Or maybe this time it will be six feet under?”

He looks at me, a mix of shock & confusion. I can't deal with this any longer. I need to go. I walk away, intending on heading for my bedroom. Instead, I find myself heading for the front door. I push the security door open & run out as the tears fall.

****

I’m sitting at the table on the deck, enjoying a beer when the side gate opens forcefully. I rise to my feet to investigate as I put my beer down on the table. Erin comes into view, looking very upset.

“Hey,” I say. “Are you okay?”

She shakes her head as she crosses to me. She grabs my shirt as she steps up to me, pulling me in for a long kiss. She pulls at my shirt, trying to get it off, so I push her away.

“Come on,” She says. “I want you.”

I shake my head. She looks at me, her hands dropping to my belt. She starts to undo it, but I stop her.

“I'm not letting you come in here & demand sex when you're clearly upset.”

“Well tough,” She replies. “I want to do this.”

I cup her face with both my hands. “Tell me what's going on.”

That seems to flick a switch in her. She starts to cry, slowly breaking down the walls until she can't stop the tears. I pull her in, wrapping my arms around her & holding her tight against me. She wraps her arms around me, holding the back of my shirt. I rest my cheek on top of her head, & just hold her as she cries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin has opened up to Mark a little, but it's still causing trouble for them both. Can they work things out before it breaks their relationship for good?


	58. I Don't Wanna Lose You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's faced with a hard choice- her brother or her fling. Can she have both, or will she have to give one up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say. Except that this will make you cry... Hopefully.

I open my eyes, squinting as the morning light hits them. My eyes adjust, & I see that I’m lying on the couch in the back room at Ned's. In fact, I’m resting my head on his lap. His hand rests on my hip, under my shirt. I look over my shoulder at him- he’s resting his head on his other hand. I slowly sit up.

“Hey,” he sleepily says.

I look at him. “Hey. I'm sorry,” I reply. “You shouldn't have to sleep like that.”

He smiles. “You're worth it.”

“And I should apologise for coming over & throwing myself at you like that.”

He leans closer. “I don't care,” he replies. “I’m just glad you sought comfort from me.”

“But I shouldn't be.”

“Why not?” He asks. “We're friends. I’m glad that you're coming to me for more than just insanely good sex.”

I smile. “But it's coming at a cost that I wish it wasn't.”

“Mark?”

I nod.

“I’m going to make us breakfast,” he says. “And we can talk about how to fix things.”

****

He places the dishes in the sink & turns back to me.

“Don't let what we have come between you & him,” he says. “What we have isn't worth losing your brother over.”

I sigh. “I wish it was that simple.”

“He just wants to be there for you,” he replies. “What's so bad about that?”

“I can't keep falling apart & expect my brother will be there to support me.”

“Do you know how much I’d do to have that sort of relationship?” He asks. “Growing up, I never had my father. I grew up resenting him for leaving Mum & I. And I would do _anything_ have a relationship that is better than that. To have one like you have with Mark. I know it's not the same, but… You're lucky to have a family who cares as much about you as Mark does. So don't throw that away over something as fleeting as us.”

“What if it's too late?”

“It's not, Erin,” He says. “One of you needs to put their feelings aside & do what's best for the both of you.”

“And what is that?”

“End the fight & mend your relationship.”

I sigh. “If I do that,” I reply. “I lose you.” I fight back tears. “I don't wanna choose.”

“So don't,” He replies as he wraps his arms around me from behind. “Just explain to him what's going on in that beautiful head of yours, & I’m sure he’ll understand.”

“I hope so.”

“Have some faith in yourself, Aer,” He says softly. “He cares for you. He would move the world for you if he had to. Let him in.”

I don't reply. I just relax against him, closing my eyes as he traces patterns on my hips.

“There's one thing I can do to help right now.”

“And what's that?” I softly ask.

He rocks his hips, the way he does when we're having sex & I bite my bottom lip. Breathing heavily, I nod. He scoops me up & carries me into his bedroom.

****

I’m playing with Felicity in our lounge when the front door opens. I glance over, seeing Mark stepping in.

“Hey,” He says.

“Hey,” I reply.

“Hey cutie,” He says to Felicity as he steps over to us.

Felicity reaches out to him. He smiles & picks her up, giving her cheek a big kiss as he sits down on the couch, sitting her on his lap.

“Can we talk?” He asks me.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “Not when Felicity’s here.”

“She can come through with me,” Paige says.

We look over. Paige is walking over from the bedrooms.

“Oh, I…” I stammer.

“You two need to work this out,” Paige replies. “Lilly & Scott are down for the next few hours. I'm happy to spend some time with Felicity. Especially when it means you two can get back to getting along.”

“That can wait till later.”

Paige picks up Felicity, resting her on her hip. “Too bad. It's happening now.”

She pivots on her heel & walks off. I sigh. Mark lowers himself onto the floor, sitting with his legs half up to his chest. He tilts his head slightly, one eyebrow raised a little as he smiles ever so slightly. I call it his puppy look.

“Don't do that look,” I groan.

“Aer,” He replies. “It's breaking my heart to see you in so much pain & pushing me away.” He pauses. “I thought we’d learnt not to let that happen after what happened with you earlier. What Eddie did to you.”

I lick my bottom lip, pushing back the whirlwind of emotions. “I feel like I’m falling back into that again,” I reply, looking at my hands. “I feel like I’m losing my mind all over again.”

“Hey,” he says, nudging me slightly with his leg. “Look at me.”

I slowly look at him.

“Why didn't you tell me sooner?” He asks. “What happened to the woman who would come to me when she needed someone to talk to?”

“Like I said yesterday, you don't need to be distracted by my troubles.”

“That's not true, Aer,” He replies, placing his hand on my arm & rubbing it. “When you couldn't cope after Eddie tried to kill you, you pushed me away. That scared me, not because you're my sister, but I wasn't able to help you when you needed me the most. And I was terrified that I was going to loose you. Do you know what scares me right now?”

I shake my head.

“I’m finding myself in the same position,” He replies. “Only it feels a million times worst, because it shouldn't be happening again. And I’m doing all I can to try & keep you from ending up where you were the last time. But you’re holding me at arms length again.”

I lick my lip again. “You know how I mentioned the dark thoughts yesterday?”

He nods.

I sigh. “They're the same thoughts I had when I thought Zack was dead.”

His face drops- the overwhelming sadness. “Aer,” He says softly.

“Those thoughts fade to the background when I’m with Ned,” I reply. “I don’t have to worry about having him break my heart, because it's never going to be serious enough for that to happen. I just need him to ground me. We have this connection & we’re just going with it. He gives me the stability that I so desperately need right now in order to stop those dark thoughts from taking me over.” I let out a shaky breath. “I’m scared to stop being with him… Because…” I swallow the lump in my throat. _I need to tell him_. I look at him as I fight back tears. “I’m petrified that it will end with me trying to kill myself…  & I might not be as lucky as last time.”

“Oh, Aer!” He says as I start to cry.

I continue to cry, unable to stop myself. He shifts closer, pulling me into him & I fall against his chest as he wraps his arms around me. He cups the back of my head in his right hand, his left hand gripping my right arm & kisses the top of my head.

We sit there until I’m too exhausted to cry anymore.

“You can always come to me, Aer,” He whispers. “No matter what. I’m not going to stop ever caring about you. I want to help you when you feel like this. When you feel like it’s all too much, I want you to never feel like you can turn to me.”

“I know,” I reply. “I’m sorry for shutting you out again.”

“It's okay,” he replies, rubbing my arm. “You’ve told me now. I’m relieved you didn't wait until it was too late.”

I sigh. “I should have told you from the start.”

“Shhh,” He whispers. “It's okay.”

“It's _not_ okay!” I reply, lightly hitting his chest. “I’ve been acting like a rebellious teenager, running away from her feelings.”

“You're not running away from them,” he replies. “You're doing the best to cope with your world being turned upside down again.”

I scoff. “Yeah, by throwing myself into a fling,” I reply. “I’m not that kind of woman.”

“It's filling the hole in your heart,” He replies. “And I’m okay with it.”

I sit up slightly to look at him. “You’ve changed you tune.”

“Because I understand what's going on in your head now.”

“Urgh! Why do you have to be so understanding!”

He smiles. “You're my sister,” He replies. “And… I love you.”

I fight back tears. “I love you too.”

****

“Hey,” I say, stepping into the kitchen after having a shower.

“Hey,” Mark replies as he finishes making himself a coffee. “Feel better?”

I nod.

“Good,” He replies, before kissing my forehead.

“I’ve been thinking.”

“Mmmm.”

“Why don't you take Paige out tonight?” I ask. “I’ve basically left you, Az & Ty to raise Felicity for the majority of this week. Tyler's spending time over at Piper’s, & you… You & Paige deserve some one on one time. So… I'm offering myself up as a nanny for tonight.”

“Are you sure? You’ll have three kids under two.”

I nod. “Az will be here soon. Between the two of us, we can handle it.”

“Handle what?” Paige asks.

I look over my shoulder as she steps over to us. “I suggested that he takes you out tonight & I’ll look after the kids.”

She looks at Mark. “And you were going to turn that down?”

“I was just thinking about it,” He replies. “I’m worried about her.”

“Look, I’m not going to do anything to myself, if that's what you're worried about,” I reply, noting Paige's confusion. “So just take my offer & go have a lovely night out with your wife. I’m not taking your relationship down as well.”

He sighs. “I’m not gonna win this, am I?”

I smile, lightly tapping his face. “You're a smart cookie.”

He pulls me in, holding me for a tight hug.

****

The front door opens.

“Did you forget something?” I ask as I turn around. I’m stunned to see him. “Ned!”

“Hey,” he says, smirking. “Sorry I’m not your brother. He… Actually suggested I come in.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Really?”

He nods. “I saw him & Paige outside,” He replies. “I was kinda expecting him to send me packing.”

“Yeah,” I reply before sighing. “We… Had a long chat.”

He smirks, walking over to me. “So… Does that mean…” He says, placing his hands on my waist. “We don't have to sneak around anymore?”

“Uh,” I reply, putting my hand on his chest. “Don't jump to conclusions.”

He sighs, hanging his head. “I want to be with you.”

My chest tightens. “How… Exactly?”

“Well,” he says, rubbing my back. “I don't want to keep hiding us, okay? I want us to be able to… Express our feelings in public. I want to be able to touch you in public without you shying away, as if it's wrong for me to touch you.”

I sigh. “We're not-”

“A couple, I know,” he replies. “But we’re also not just friends. So why don't we find a middle ground?”

I sigh. “I don't know.”

“Think about it.”

I nod. “I will.”

He kisses me. “I’ll talk to you later.”

I nod. I watch him leave, staying still until the door clicks shut. I rub my hands over my face. _This is getting out of control._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin has made up with Mark. But there's still tension between Ned and Erin over the depth of their relationship. And it's only going to get worse… Plus, Erin faces a shock news.


	59. Unexpected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Ned struggles to admit how he really feels, Erin's thrown a shock news.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Setting up a big next chapter with this.

“She asleep?” Aaron asks as I walk over, having just come out from putting Felicity to bed. Scott & Lilly have been asleep for a while.

“Mmmhmmm,” I reply with a nod. “She’ll be out for the night… Hopefully.”

“Good,” he replies as I sit down on the couch next to him. He picks up a glass of red wine from the table & holds it out to me. “Here.”

“Ooooohhhhh!” I reply, taking it. “You are a genius.”

He smiles. “Just thought you’d appreciate it.”

“Well, I do,” I reply, before taking a sip. “Mmmmm!”

“So… You & Ned.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “I _knew_ there was an ulterior motive behind this!”

“Hey, I’m not judgemental,” He replies, raising his hands in defeat. “Go be with who you want.”

“Thank you.”

“But…”

I roll my eyes. “There's _always_ a but!”

“I want you to be careful.”

“If this is about having safe sex, you missed the boat by a couple of years.”

He stifles a laugh. “No. And we both know that would have come from Mark not me.”

“True,” I reply, barely keeping back my laughter.

“What I was going to say, is… Just because you want it to stay casual, doesn't mean he’ll keep it that way.”

I swallow the lump in my throat, reminded of what Ned was saying earlier.

“His feelings won't stay casual forever,” He replies. “You're a kind woman. You're easy to love.”

“I love that you & Mark are worried about me,” I reply. “But I’m okay.”

“Actually… I'm more worried about him than you,” He replies. “If you don't treat this carefully, you're going to end up with him being in love with you & he’ll be broken hearted when you stop it. It's not like you're gonna keep seeing him for too long.”

“He doesn't love me.”

“Not yet.”

“He knows that it won't turn into something more serious.”

“You can't help who you fall in love with, Aer,” He says. “Just because he knows that, doesn't mean he’ll be able to stop himself from falling in love with you.”

****

“Hey,” She says as I’m bent over getting the newspaper.

I stand up, seeing that she’s walking across the street.

“Hey,” I reply, giving her a smile.

“Can we go in?” She asks, looking at my house.

I hesitate. “Uh… No,” I reply. “Sorry, but… Dad & Lauren got back this morning. Which makes our hot rendezvous harder to make happen.”

She nods, looking slightly awkward. “Actually… I wanted to talk to you about that.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “You're not…”

“No,” She replies, & I sigh in relief. “I just… Aaron said something last night, & I can't get it out of my head.”

“Oh?”

“He warned me.”

“Warned you?”

She nods. “Told me I should be careful,” She says, looking hesitant. “He said I need to be careful, because you might fall in love me.”

“Right.”

“I told him you wouldn't, but…” She sighs. “I can't stop thinking about his words. And…” She licks her lips & I want to kiss her so bad. “You’d…” She sighs. “You’d tell me if that happened, right? If you were in love with me. You’d tell me, yeah?”

“Of course.”

“And?”

I swallow the lump. “And?”

“Are you?”

I stare at her- _This is the time. Tell her. Tell her. See, it's simple, Ned. Five short words. How hard is that? Just say it! ‘I think I love you’. Simple, right?_ I open my mouth to say it, but… “No.”

“Okay,” She replies, nodding slightly.

_Does that mean she's not happy with that response???_

“But you’d tell me if you ever felt that way, right?”

“Of course I would,” I reply. “I want us to be honest.”

“Good,” She replies, with a nod. “I’d tell you if I did.”

I nod. “Good.”

“Good.”

We stare at each other for a long minute, both smiling. And I catch a glint of love in her eyes. I could have it all- I could get her to see that I’m not like the others, & that we should make this more serious. If only I could say those words…

“Anyway,” She says, pulling me from my thoughts. “I should go. Got a little one to get back to before work.”

I nod. “Sure.”

“I’ll text you later if I have time,” She says. “We could always meet up at a hotel.”

I smirk. “I hope you do get time.”

She smiles, bowing her head to hide the blush. She looks at me. “Talk to you later?”

I nod. “Sure.”

She smiles. “Bye.”

I smile back. “Bye.”

I watch her cross the road for hers. I want to chase after her, to tell her that I lied. Tell her that I want to cross that line with her. But I know if I do… I’ll lose her.

I sigh & run my hand over my face. Better to have than to let go…

****

“You don't look too good, love,” Sheila says, taking my plate as I sit at a table in _The Waterhole_. “No offence. You're a beautiful young woman. You have to be, coming from your genetically blessed family. But… You seem a little off.”

I force a smile. “Just tired, Sheila.”

“Not getting much sleep now that you have two more little ones in your home?”

“There's a number of reasons.”

She nods. “Missing the squeeze.”

I tilt my head. “My life doesn't revolve around men.”

“Doesn't need to for you to miss him.”

I sigh. “Yeah, well… Not my fault we broke up.”

She places a hand on my right forearm. “No matter who is to blame, it can still hurt. You can still miss him. You're not a bad person if you do.”

“I find myself sometimes wishing I could tell him something… Or Felicity will say something,” I reply. “And it just hurts even more to think about what ended us.”

“It always hurts more when a child is involved,” She replies. “But you need to be making sure that you're taking care of yourself.”

I nod. “I am.”

“Well, whatever it is, it doesn't look like you're just tired.”

“Okay. Maybe I’m getting a cold or something.”

“Or it could be more than that.”

I narrow my eyes. “What's your point, Sheila?”

“You’ve had a hectic week, post break-up, & now you’re looking unwell… Not to mention the fact that you’ve barely touched your food!” She gestures at the plate.

“Just… Not that hungry today.”

She leans in closer. “You might have another little bun in the oven.”

“I’m _not_ pregnant, Sheila.”

“Have you been able to keep food down?”

I sigh in annoyance, rolling my eyes slightly.

“Just think about it, love,” She replies, giving my arm a pat.

She trots off to the bar with my plate & I turn back to my work. I reread the same sentence several times, unable to focus. _Maybe she’s right_.

Sighing, I reach for my diary. I open it up to the calendar to check when I had my last period. I always mark the day it starts.

_Late_.

It could just be late because of how stressful it has been lately. So I shouldn't worry about it.

_Right?_

****

“ _Woah_! You’ve had a bad day or something?” Tyler asks as I walk in, arriving home with Felicity. “You look like a mess.”

I glare at him. “Geez, thanks.”

“Sorry,” he replies. “Just… Haven't seen you look so… Worn down.”

“Really not improving there, Ty.”

“Okay, shutting up,” he replies, hands up in defeat.

“Can you look after Felicity for a bit?”

He raises an eyebrow. “You're entrusting her with me after I basically insulted you?”

“Yep,” I reply, placing Felicity in his lap. “I wanna freshen up before the others get home.”

“Oooookay.”

I give Felicity a quick kiss & she giggles.

“I’ll be back soon,” I tell Tyler.

He nods. “We’ll be fine.”

“You _better_ be better than fine,” I reply. “Or I will have your head.”

He mock salutes & I roll my eyes. I turn & head through to the bedrooms. I slip into the bathroom, shutting & locking the door behind me. I place my handbag onto the vanity, & grip the edge with both hands as I stare into the mirror.

I close my eyes. _I can't believe this is happening again_.

I try & calm my heart rate by slowing my breathing. When it's as calm as can be, I open my eyes & let go of the vanity. I turn to my handbag, pulling out the home pregnancy test that I’d gone & bought before picking up Felicity. I go through the instructions again, just to make sure. I take the test, resting it on the instructions page so I can wash my hands before I set a five minute countdown on my mobile.

Waiting is the hardest part. I nervously pace the room. I even splash my face, praying that my queasiness dies down.

My mobile beeps, signalling the end of the countdown, but the noise breaks the silence & I jump. I silence it, praying Tyler can't hear it. I suck in a deep breath & turn to the test. I’d placed it face down so I wouldn't be tempted to look early. I nervously reach for it, praying that it's negative. I turn it over, but I look away as I do. I don't want to know. I mean, I _do_ , but… I also _don't_.

_I don't want to be raising another baby on my own_.

But the need to know overwhelms me.

So I look.

I see it.

Disbelieve it.

So I pick it up, holding it with both hands as I look.

I read it over & over.

And _over_.

I close my eyes.

_Fuuuuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Erin is pregnant- or is she???? But that's not the most complicated thing coming her way.


	60. Dear Life

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's facing the biggest decision of her life... But just when she thinks she's made up her mind for good, a shock return is going to shake her to the core...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 60 is a big one! I've been building things up to this point for a few chapters, & I wanted this to be a massive chapter- not just story-wise, but in size too. It's a sizeable 7,678 words. I've had the ending planned out for a long time, so I'm really happy that I finally get to share it!

I shove the test back into the box, shutting it & shoving it back into my handbag. I turn the tap on, letting the water run until super cold & splash my face. I end up filling my cupped hands with water, gulping down the water over & over. As I dry my face & hands one thought keeps going through my mind- _This_. _Isn't_. _Happening_.

I snatch up my handbag & turn to the door. I unlock & open it, surprised to see Paige there- she too surprised.

“Oh, hey!” She says. She sees my rather pale face & frowns. “Are you okay?”

I nod. “Yeah.”

She looks down at my handbag, which I’m gripping tightly. Her frown deepens. But she gets her ‘oh, shit!’ look. “Oh my _god_ , you're _pregnant_!”

“ _Shhhhhhh!!!!_ ” I reply, looking to see if any of my brothers heard.

I push her down the hallway & into my bedroom.

“What the-” She says as I push her inside.

I shut the door, pressing my back against the door. “How the hell did you figure it out?”

“Because I had that same terrified look on my face when I found out about Scott & Lilly,” She replies, sitting down on my bed like this isn't a big deal.

“I _hate_ that I’m here in the _same_ position as I was a few years ago,” I reply as I drop my handbag.

Paige looks confused. “I thought you were seeing my brother?”

“Sleeping with him, yes,” I correct her. “But…”

It hits her. “Jay.”

I nod as I push off the door & walk over. “If it was just Ned’s… This might be a better situation to handle.”

“Okay,” She replies. “Spill.”

I sigh, standing in front of her. “If it was Ned's, things would be simpler.”

“Yeah, you’d talk to him.”

I nod. “About getting an abortion.”

She's shocked. “You _wouldn't_ keep it?”

“I’m not going to force him into having such a serious relationship,” I reply. “That's _not_ part of our agreement.”

“You technically should have thought about that before having unprotected sex.”

“We have, fyi,” I reply. “And condoms break. They're not perfect.”

“Alright,” She replies. “And… What would you do if it is Jay’s?”

“I…” I reply, sighing as I rub my hands over my face. “Honestly… I don't know. A part of me wants to abort it. But…” I sigh again, starting to pace. “Another part of me doesn't, because of how strongly I felt for Jay… But… I'm _not_ going to raise another baby on my own. Even with you  & my brothers to help. And before you ask if I’d tell Ned, I’m _not_ going to ask him to help raise another guy's child.”

“Just… Clarify something for me.”

I nod. “Sure.”

“How… How do you know about it being a…” She fades off as her eyes narrow. “How do you know it's Jay’s? You sound so sure, when it could be either.”

“Because the timing works,” I reply, continuing to pace. “My period is late, & if it _was_ on time, I would have started it _before_ getting into this friends with benefits thing with Ned. Even with it being a few days late, it still would be before Ned. Which means the odds are stacked more in favour of it being Jay’s than your brother's,  &…” I sigh. “It makes it all _so_ much more _complicated_.”

“Okay, babe,” She replies. She pats my bed as she continues, “Come here.”

I sit down on my bed beside her.

“Are you _absolutely_ sure you're pregnant?” She asks. “You're not just basing it off not having your period  & the fact that you look pale & probably feeling queasy?”

I nod. “I took a test.”

“That's what you were just doing…”

I nod.

“Alright,” She replies. “Before you freak out any more, I think you should go to the hospital & get a test. I don't think I need to tell you that the home tests aren't always the best, & so it will be better to get a far more accurate test done. Especially given the situation.”

I swallow a lump. “You're right.”

“I can come with you tomorrow if you’d like?” She replies. “You know, be there for moral support.”

I smile weakly. “Thanks, but… I should do it on my own.”

She nods. “Okay, well… I'm here if you need to talk.”

I nod. “Thanks.”

She smiles. “I got you, sister.”

She pulls me into a hug.

****

I turn a corner in the hospital, taking a few steps before seeing Karl at the nurse’s station. I spin around & try to leave- he’s the last doctor I need right now- but

“Erin,” He says.

I stop, wincing before I turn back around. “Karl, hiiii.”

“Are you here to visit someone?”

I hesitate, debating whether or not to tell him. “Oh, I may as well tell you,” I reply. “I don't have an appointment, but…”

“I have an opening right now,” He replies. “Come into my office.”

I follow him over, tightly gripping my handbag strap on my shoulder. He holds the door open for me.

“Take a seat,” He says as I pass him.

I cross to his desk as he shuts the door. I sit down as he walks around to his seat behind his desk.

“What can I do for you?” He asks as he sits down.

I sigh. “I need… You to do a test.”

He looks surprised. “Not many people request that straight out.”

I nod. “Sorry,” I reply. “I’m a little… Frazzled.”

He nods. “Take a breath, then start with telling me what symptoms you have.”

I inhale deeply, exhaling slowly a few seconds later. “I haven't been feeling well the last few days,” I reply. “I feel sick on & off all day, like I’m going to vomit… And I’ve been losing my appetite. I either don't feel like eating at all, or I barely eat.”

“You may just have a virus.”

I lick my lip. “I'm also late.”

“Late?”

“Please don't make me say it, Karl.”

He nods. “Okay.”

“I’ve done a home test, but… I know that it's not very reliable so I want to get a more accurate test done to make sure.”

He nods. “I can draw some blood, enough for a couple of tests, & we’ll go from there.”

I nod. “Thanks, Karl.”

****

I sit there uncomfortably as he sticks a needle into the vein in the inside of my right elbow.

“Are you okay?” He asks.

“Hmmm?” I reply. “Oh. Uh, just… A lot on my mind.”

He nods as he continues to draw my blood. “I’m sure it's not easy on you. Having this happen.”

I sigh. “You have noooo idea.”

“Are you going to contact him?” He asks, swapping the tubes to take the second sample.

I hesitate. “Do I even want to open that can of worms?”

“No matter what your relationship is with him,” He replies. “He has the right to know about this.”

“Can we just… Focus on finding out if there's even a ‘ _this_ ’ first?”

He nods. “Of course.”

He finishes in silence, taking out the needle as he covers the insertion point with a cotton wool ball. He tapes that in place, before taking off the compression strap around my upper arm.

“Now, I’ll get the test run on one of the samples for now,” He replies. “I’ll keep the second sample for later, in case anything goes wrong or we need to run it again for whatever reason.”

I nod. “When can I get the results?”

“Uh,” He replies. “Depends on the waiting list at the lab. Could be later today, or it might take a day or two. You can go home & I’ll notify you when I have the results.”

I nod. “Thanks, Karl.”

He smiles. “You're welcome.”

****

I’m working through paperwork as I sit in _The Waterhole_. I’m trying to keep my mind off not knowing for sure if I’m pregnant by burying myself in work. However, my subconscious won’t let me completely forget it- I’m sitting at the exact table where I met Jay. I’m sitting on the _exact_ stool I sat on when we were first flirting. All these memories are pulling my focus… And making my heart ache. _Maybe I should reach out to Jay. Maybe I should fix things between us._ I’ve been trying _so_ hard to bury my feelings for him ever since I broke up with him. But maybe recent events are a sign that I should be addressing them...

Hands cover my eyes. “Guess who?”

“Your voice gives it away.”

He lowers his hands before kissing my right cheek.

“Don’t.”

“Why not?” He asks as he sits on the stool to my right, my heart aching as that's where Jay sat when we met.

“Uh, cause we’re at _The Waterhole_.”

“The only one that we know here is Sheila.”

“Which is the _exact_ reason why you need to not be so openly affectionate with me,” I reply. “We don’t call her the one woman gossip wheel of Erinsborough for nothing.”

“So what if she sees us?” He replies, leaning in to me. “I don’t care.”

I lean away from him. “Well _I_ do.”

He frowns. “Why are you so against this?” He asks. “Against me showing you affection?”

“Because that’s not how friends with benefits works,” I reply. “In public, we’re _just_ friends. So you need to respect the boundaries.”

He narrows his eyes. “You need to stop being so controlling.”

“ _What_?”

“You keep laying all these rules down, any time I try & show you how much I-” He looks stunned. He swallows. “How much I care about you. And every time you add a new one, I don’t know what I’m meant to do to keep you happy, to keep you from laying down another.”

I hesitate, unable to find the words to respond.

“I hope that we can move what we have from just friends with benefits, to something far more serious,” He says. “But I’m _not_ one for a controlling partner. And having you blocking me with rules after rules after rules is making me seriously wonder whether I should just end things with you.”

“Ned, I-”

“Save it,” He replies. “I came here to see if you were free to go get a hotel room & have sex. Instead, I’ll leave you to think about what I’ve said long & hard. I get that you’ve been through hell with your past relationships, but there comes a point when you need to stop trying _so damn_ hard to control what we have. You either accept me as your boyfriend, or you end things. I can’t keep letting you treat me like this.”

He gets up & walks past me. I watch him cross to the bar before turning back to my work. I sigh as I cover my face with my hands. _This is all too much. I can’t handle the pressure from him on top of not knowing for sure if I’m pregnant._

****

I open the front door & step inside, relieved to have peace & quiet. Paige is out with Scott, Lilly & Lauren for the day, so the house is empty. I settle at the dining table, laying out my work before grabbing my iPod. I find that music helps me focus when I’m struggling.

Except today.

I should be working. Or trying to figure out what to do with Ned’s ultimatum. But all I can think of is Jay.

I close my work, opening my Facebook app & search for his page, fortunate that he hasn’t unfriended me yet. Or that I have either. I look down his feed, seeing photos from his recent gigs interstate. I smile a little, proud to see him doing so well career-wise.

I close Facebook & open the YouTube app, giving in to the need to hear his voice again. I search his name & the names of where he’s been gigging lately. Thankfully, people have been uploading ones. I stop my iPod, plugging my headphones into my iPad & play the first video. I can’t help smiling when I hear him sing. I never thought I would ever miss a sound as much as I miss his voice.

At the end, YouTube suggests another video of him singing live & I let it play it. Turns out it's the first video in a playlist of one of his recent gigs. Someone actually recorded his _whole_ gig. Every single song, in full, by an artist who isn't famous or even has a record label.

The more songs I listen to, the more emotional I get. There's a bunch of songs I’ve not heard, & it's clear that most are about our break up- _Miss You_ , _Back To My Heart_ , _Listen To Me_ , among others.

It gets to the end, & he walks off as the audience applauds, some even cheering. I exhale, fighting back tears. But then it flicks to another video- same venue, the audience chanting for “more” & he walks back on. An encore. And he introduces the song, _Without You_. As soon as he starts to sing, I'm hit hard with emotions. He’s been so composed all through it… But this one is totally about us  & my heart _breaks_. I can see the emotion, the heartbreak behind the song... It’s written all over his face.

But that's not all. At the end of the song, the audience cheers. He smiles, & even though it's a little hard to tell from the video, I know he's fighting back tears.

“Thank you,” He says & I smile. “Alright. One last song.”

“Booooo!” The audience says, disappointed.

“I know! I know!” Jay replies. “But we gotta get out of here.” He takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Okay. Normally I finish on the last song, but… I wanna do something a little different this gig. Um… I wrote this song a few months ago, & a lot of things have changed since then.” He nervously adjust his guitar. “Back then, I was in love with a woman. A beautiful woman who, up until last week, was the best part of my life.”

“Awwwww!” The audience says & Jay smiles.

“But… I lied to her,” He says. “I kept something from her. Something important. And that… She couldn't handle.” He sighs. “I lost her because of it.”

And that's when the strangest thing happens- he looks _directly_ into the camera,  & my breath catches in my throat. _He set the whole thing up!_ He _knew_ there'd be a camera recording it!

“I hope that she sees this,” He says, looking into the camera. “I hope that she remembers the good times that we’ve had… Why we fell in love in the first place.”

“Awwwwww!!!” The audience says, making him blush.

“And I hope she find it in her heart to forgive me.”

He turns away, putting his back to the audience. He sighs- & I know he's trying to compose himself enough for the song. He turns back, starting to play as soon as he's facing the front. And it only takes a bar for me to recognise the song. Tears instantly fill my eyes. All the memories flood back. The song he wrote about me, the one he sang at the singing competition the night we ended up together. _Only Want_.

He sings it like I’ve never seen him sing anything before- full of passion, full of heartbreak. He's _killing_ it. And I feel _so damn proud._

I lean back, covering my face with both hands as I cry, the video still playing. _I can't believe how much I’ve been kidding myself. I’m not over him. Not by a long shot._

The song finishes & I drop my hands. I flick my iPad’s screen off, take off my headphones & toss them onto the table as I lean back in my chair & sigh. I look up at the ceiling for a while. When I lift my head some time later, I realise my right hand is resting on my lower abdomen. _Maybe I should reach out to Jay. Reconnect with him. Let him know, even though I don't know for sure myself._

****

I try to write him a message, writing it in Word so I can spend time making it just right. But the words just won't come out. I can't seem to find the words to express the crazy amount of emotions that I have. I get up & pace, frustrated at myself.

Acting on impulse, I find myself reaching for my mobile. I scroll through my contacts, my thumb hovering over his name. All I have to do is lower my thumb & touch the screen & it will call him. One simple action, & I could hear his voice. I could hear him say my name.

_But I just can't do it._

“Arrrrrgh!” I scream out in annoyance, dropping my mobile back on the table. I place my face in my hands. _Why is it so hard????_

And then I remember something Jay once said to me- “When words fail me, I pick up my guitar & just play. I just play aimlessly, until I find a tune that I like… And run with it. Sometimes you just have to let it all go, & let it come naturally.”

I walk through to my room, pulling out my keyboard. When I made the choice to move here, a lot of my belongings were put into storage & later transported here. I haven't played it for some time. I used to a lot, but not much since I had Felicity. Not that it's her fault. I just haven't found the time to play it. I take it into the main living area, setting it up on its stand beside the dining table. I shift a chair to it, before collecting my iPad & headphones.

I sit there for a while, randomly playing notes. Eventually a melody starts to appear. I record it on my iPad & continue to play around as it records. After a little while, I start humming. And the words fall out.

You mean more to me than I’ve ever said you do,  
And I’m sorry for pushing you away.  
I’m missing you more than I should

I wish that I could call, but I can't pick up the phone.  
I wish that I hadn't let you go.  
There's a whole in my heart, now that you're gone.  
And I, wish things were different now.

If I could, turn back time  
And stop you from leaving  
Would you stay?  
Would things be different than before?  
Would I fall, asleep in your arms tonight?  
Can your light surround the darkness creeping into my mind & save me.  
Maybe we’d last forever,  
If you would stay.  
I would go back & stop you from going away  
Just Stay, Stay, Stay.

You’ll always be in my heart,  
Even if I never get to say that to you.

So I wished on a plane, that I mistook for a shooting star.  
I dream about you coming back to me.  
I will always love you,  
Even if you never know.

If I could, turn back time  
And stop you from leaving  
Would you stay?  
Would things be different than before?  
Would I fall, asleep in your arms tonight?  
Can your light surround the darkness creeping into my mind & save me.  
Maybe we’d last forever,  
If you would stay.  
I would go back & stop you from going away  
Just Stay, Stay, Stay.  
Just Stay, Stay, Stay.

Maybe it would be easier to leave you behind,  
To call you just another past love.  
But I can’t, I can't move on.  
So I, pray that I could run back into your arms,  
Have you hold me in your arms & take away the pain.

If I could, turn back time  
Stop you from leaving  
Would you stay?  
If I could, turn back time  
I’d race down the street,  
And run  
Run  
Run into your arms!

If I could, turn back time  
And stop you from leaving  
Would you stay?  
Would things be different than before?  
Would I fall, asleep in your arms tonight?  
Can your light surround the darkness creeping into my mind & save me.  
Maybe we’d last forever,  
If you would stay.  
I would go back & stop you from going away  
Just Stay, Stay, Stay.

If I could turn back and stop you from leaving,  
Would you stay?  
If I could go back, I would go in a blink,  
And beg you, beg you to  
Just Stay, Stay, Stay.

“Stay,” I whisper.

Fighting back tears, I stop the recording.

****

Karl sits down at his desk & I fight to suppress the nausea. I cancelled all my meetings, deciding to use a sick day because I’d woken up unable to do anything beyond feeling like I was going to vomit. And then Karl had called. So I left Felicity with Paige, & took a taxi to the hospital.

“Do you know what a home pregnancy reacts to in order to determine if a woman is pregnant or not?” He asks.

I nod. “There's a hormone that spikes when there's a pregnancy.”

He nods. “But they're not very reliable, because they can be faulty or provide false positives when it reacts to other changes in a woman's body.”

I nod. “The hospital labs can confirm it far more accurately, because they're more detailed,” I reply. “They break down the results into specific biological reactions, compared to the home tests.”

He nods. “They do.”

“I know all of this, Karl,” I reply. “So can we just skip all of this & you get to telling me what the results are?”

He nods. “The results came back last night. However, I requested the other sample be tested as well, just to make sure before I tell you,” He replies. “I wanted to make absolutely sure before telling you.”

I nod. “Okay,” I reply. “What do you conclude?”

He hesitates. “Firstly, I want to find out what you want,” He says. “Do you want it to be positive or negative?”

“Does it matter?”

He nods. “It does,” He replies. “I want to get a read on how you will react.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I’m torn between both,” I reply. “A part of me hopes that I am. But the rest of me is terrified at the thought of being a single mother all over again.” I look at my hands. “I’ll tell Jay, but… I’m scared that I’ll be left to raise it on my own.”

I look at him as he nods. He hesitates.

“Which do you feel more strongly for?”

I sigh in annoyance. “Can you just tell me what the results are?” I ask. “I don't feel like having a psychological shakedown. All I want is to find out whether I’m pregnant or not. I hate having it be a mysterious, burning question looming over me. So just stop delaying it with these silly questions & just put my mind at ease. I just _need_ to know where I stand.”

He nods. He hesitates. “Both tests came back negative.”

This wasn't what I was expecting. I’d convinced myself that I was pregnant, that the results would back up the signs I was experiencing. But then again, I’m somewhat relieved to have it be negative.

“How… how…” I stammer. “What about the home test positive?”

“The key hormone that indicates a pregnancy can spike in certain women when they are experiencing a lot of stress,” He replies. “Now, there's a chance the home test was merely faulty, however, given your recent break up with Jay, it is very likely that you are stressed. Our tests support this, through slightly higher levels elsewhere. The home test doesn't test for the rest, which is part of the reason why it's considered less reliable than a hospital administered test.”

I nod, reeling from the news. I take a few deep breaths.

“So…” I reply. “The… The signs. The nausea, lack of appetite… All of it. It's just… Stress?”

He nods. “I’m afraid so.”

“Right,” I half whisper.

“Is this… What you wanted?”

I hesitate- _is it?_

“I… I don't know,” I reply. “It’s… It's a lot to take in.”

He nods. “That's understandable.”

“What do I do?” I ask. “To stop the stress?”

He hesitates. “Meditation… Some find yoga helps,” he replies. “Just take things easy for a couple of days. Have three meals a day, keep hydrated… Get a good night's sleep, although that might be hard given you share your home with young children. Just take good care of yourself. Don't take on more work than you need to. I can also give you some information on breathing techniques that may help you as well.”

I nod. “That would be good,” I reply. “Thank you, Karl.”

He smiles. “You're welcome,” He replies. “There is also one other possible way to relieve the stress.”

I swallow a lump in my throat. “Yes?”

“It's clear your stress stems from your break up,” He replies. “I get the sense that you don't have closure with it. Or not entirely.”

I look at him, unsure how to respond.

“One way of relieving the stress is,” He replies, before sighing. “You need to talk to Jay. Find that closure.”

I close my eyes… & nod. He's right.

****

I catch a taxi back to mine. The trip home gives me time to make a decision about my love life. I can't keep stringing Ned along. It's clear we both want different things. And I’m not over Jay. In fact, I want to try & get back together with him.

The taxi pulls up outside my house. I pay him, thank him & get out. I check the letterbox as I wait for him to drive off, leaving the mail in the letterbox & cross the road to Ned's.

As I approach his front door, I can hear that he's in the backyard so I head towards the side gate. As I come round the corner of the house, I spot him on the deck, doing push-ups. I watch him for a while, entranced by his movements. Those strong arms… And I imagine lying under him, making him kiss me every time he comes down. That would end up us unable to resist each other & we have sex…

“Hey,” He says, snapping me from my thoughts.

He’s now standing, his breath a little heavy & I’m suddenly rethinking my decision.

“Hey,” I reply.

He frowns slightly. “Everything okay?”

“Uhhh, maybe.”

“Okay, let me grab us some beers, & we’ll talk about it.”

I nod. He heads for the bar at the back of the yard & I sit down on the edge of the decking. He returns a minute later, sits down beside me & hands me an open bottle of beer.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling as I take it.

“You're welcome,” He replies. “So… What's wrong?”

I sigh, suddenly unsure whether I should go down this road. Maybe I was wrong about all of this. Maybe I should just let go of the past. Ned's a good man, who makes me happy. Maybe I’m meant to give us a go. Have a clean slate...

I down the beer, gulping it down without pause. Ned watches on, surprised.

“Wow,” he says as I lower the empty bottle. “That bad, huh?”

I smile slightly. “Just… A lot on my mind.”

“And you want to get drunk to deal with it?”

I sigh. “More like to escape it for a while.”

“Remember the last time you did that.”

I smile a little.

He shifts closer, wrapping his right arm around my shoulders. “Talk to me.”

“I don't think you can help me.”

“Surely that's not true,” he replies. “You're here.”

I sigh. “I came here… Intending on telling you something,” I reply. “And now…” I sigh heavily. “I don't know if I can say it.”

He places his beer down on the deck to his left. He turns to me, holding my chin.

“You can tell me anything.”

There it is. So clear in his eyes. The love he has for me. Impulsively, I close the gap between us, crashing my lips against his. He doesn't react at first, taken by surprise, but he reciprocates, his left hand cupping my cheek.

“We're alone, right?” I ask, lips brushing his.

“Lauren's gone to work,” He replies. “So, yes.”

“Good,” I reply, before kissing him again.

He pulls back. “We should,” he replies, resting his forehead against mine. “We should take this inside.”

I nod. We part & get up. We put our beer bottles on the table & head inside. Ned stops just inside, staring at the couch. I look confused.

“Ned?”

“This turns into a bed,” He replies, before stepping over & pulling the cushions off.

I raise an eyebrow. “You wanna do it _here_?”

He turns to me. “Take risks, Erin,” He says, smirking a little.

I drop my handbag & help him. As soon as it's pulled out to expose the mattress, he wraps his arms around my waist from behind, lifts me as he turns & we fall onto the mattress as I scream. He pulls my hair to the side, & kisses my neck as he slides his hand down the top of my pants. He slips his hand into my undies & I moan as he rubs me. I rock my hips & he moans.

And then my mobile rings. He groans.

“Leave it,” He says, his lips brushing my neck.

“I can't,” I reply, trying to get out of his arms. “It might be a client. I had to reschedule all my meetings to take today off.”

He sighs & lets me go. I quickly reach for my handbag & get my mobile out. I reject the call.

“Why did you do that?” He asks.

“It's just Mark,” I reply, dropping my mobile back into my handbag which is on the floor. I turn back to him. “I can call him back later.”

He smirks as I crawl back to him. I straddle him, leaning down & kiss him. He slides his hands under my shirt as I grind my hips. My mobile rings again & he growls into my mouth.

“Ignore it,” I whisper, lips brushing his.

I grind my hips again. He pulls my shirt off.

****

I sigh contentedly, snuggling closer to him & drape my leg over his. He wraps his arm around me tighter, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

“So… Does this mean we're crossing that line?” He asks, lazily tracing a pattern on my right shoulder. “That I’m going to be able to call you my girlfriend?”

I rest my chin on his chest & look at him. “It's a… I'm going to stop being so controlling & setting endless rules.”

He smiles. “Good enough for me.”

He slides his left hand into my hair, cupping the back of my head & draws me in for a kiss. I moan into his mouth as his right arm pushes me against him.

“How about a round two?” He asks, lips brushing mine.

“I would-”

“There's a but coming…”

“I should check my mobile,” I reply.

“What if I refuse?”

“Mark thinks that I’m home because I’m sick.”

He pulls back slightly & frowns. “You're not sick.”

“I wasn't feeling well this morning.”

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just… Worn down by stress,” I reply. “Anyway… He thinks that I’m there, & I can't dodge his calls for long without raising suspicion. And I’m pretty sure we have pushed that enough already.”

He pushes his lips into a thin line. He slowly nods. “Fine.”

I give him a quick kiss before sitting up as he lets me go. I shift closer to the edge, & get my mobile out of my handbag. I turn the screen on- instantly met by multiple notifications. Fifteen voicemails & several texts. All from Mark.

“Urgh, fuck!” I say, flopping down onto my back as I unlock my mobile.

“Everything okay?” He asks as I look at the texts.

All of them are some form of ‘check your voicemail’ or ‘call me’. I sigh.

“I’m not sure,” I reply, going out of my messages. “Mark has called multiple times.”

“About what?”

I shrug. “He's left a bunch of message on my voicemail. I should listen to them.”

He nods. I dial my voicemail. Most of them are just “hey Aer, it's me. Call me back.” Or just “call me”. I can hear his frustration as they go on. One of the last ones is “Will you _please_ answer your phone! I don't care what you're doing! Just _call_ me!” The next one is part apology, part plea to get me to call. The last one my voicemail says was recorded less than ten minutes ago.

He sighs at the start, clearly at the end of his patience. “Since you seem uninterested in answering, here's what's going on,” He says. “I need you down at the station ASAP. It's important. _Very_ important. So when you get this, either call or get in here.”

I sigh as I shift my mobile from my ear to access the screen so I can delete the messages.

“What did he say?” He asks.

“He didn't go into details,” I reply. “All he says is that I need to get to the station. Something important.”

He shifts closer. “What are you going to do?”

I put my mobile aside & look at him. “I don't care,” I reply. “I’m staying here.”

“But he said it was-”

I cut him off with a kiss. He rolls on top of me as we deepen our kiss, our arms wrapping around each other. We're building up to having round two, but I can't get Mark’s message off my mind.

He breaks our kiss & sighs.

“What?” I ask.

“You need to go.”

I frown. “What?”

“You may want to flip the bird at your brother & stay,” He replies. “But I can tell that you really want to go.”

“No, I want you,” I reply, leaning in to kiss him.

He pulls back. “You need to go & find out what he wants,” He reply. “I can sense it in your body. You're all tense. So go deal with it.”

“You sure?”

He rolls off me & sighs. “Not really, but… I'm not going to come between you & your brother again,” He replies. “Plus I’m not going to make love to you when you're distracted by this.”

I turn onto my side to face him. “Alright.”

“Go deal with it. And then come back,” he says. He then rests his head on his hand, propped up on his elbow. He gives me a seductive look. “I’ll be here waiting.”

I bite my bottom lip. “I’ll promise to be quick.”

He smirks. “And I promise that what I’ll do with you later will be _far_ from quick.”

I smile, looking down to hide my blush.

“Now… Go.”

I nod. I roll over & stand up. He leans over & lightly slaps my ass. I gasp & turn back to him looking shocked. He smirks. I get dressed, collect my mobile & handbag.

“See you soon,” I say to him.

“I’ll be waiting right here,” he says, giving me a seductive pose.

I smile before heading out the back, exiting via the side gate.

****

I hurry into the station, finding Mark behind the front desk.

“Hey,” I say, stepping over to him.

He looks up. He gives me an exasperated look as he raises his hands either side of him & then sighs. “Where have you been?”

“Busy.”

He rolls his eyes. “Ned.”

“What is it that you want?” I snap.

“I need you to sign some forms.”

“ _What?!_ ” I ask. “Is that _seriously_ what you call important?”

He clenches his jaw. “Yeah,” He replies. “They're important.”

“Okay, fine!” I reply. “Give them to me, & I’ll sign them.”

“I need to go through a few things with you,” He replies, gathering up files off the desk. “In the interrogation room.”

I frown. “Wouldn't your desk be better?”

“We need more privacy than that,” He replies as he puts a hand on my shoulder & turns me around.

“What?” I ask, confused as he guides me over to the door.

He leans round me & pins in the code to open the door.

“Just do what I tell you to,” He replies as he pushes the door open & pushes me through. “You’ve already put me out by not answering.”

“Well, sorryyyyyy if I’m trying to live my _life_!” I reply as he ushers me towards Interrogation Room One.

The door is shut, an unusual sight for it when it's unused. I frown as I stop in front of it.

“What-” I begin but fall silent when Mark gives me a look as he steps past me.

He places his right hand on the handle, & looks at me for a moment. He then opens the door, staying just outside of the room as he pushes the door all the way open.

Sitting on the other side of the desk, bruised & bloodied, is the one man I didn't expect to see here. And my chest tightens. I feel the air immediately leave my lungs.

“Jay?” I whisper.

****

I smile weakly at her as she stands in the doorway, stunned to see me. I’ve been wanting to see her _so bad_ for almost a fortnight now. Seeing her now is such a huge relief.

“Hey,” I say.

“Wha-What?” She asks, looking me over as she instinctively steps forward.

She stops herself a few steps into the room, just clear of the door. I look at Mark & nod once. Erin frowns as she looks at Mark. He starts to shut the door.

“Mark?” She asks, stepping towards the door.

He holds a hand out to her & she stops. He shuts the door. She sighs heavily, drops her head & then shakes it.

“I'm sorry for getting you here under false pretences,” I say. “Don't blame Mark. I begged him to get you to come.”

She turns to look at me, resting her back against the wall. “Why?”

“I want to explain everything,” I reply. “Everything that you didn't give me the chance to say after Rachael made her appearance.”

She clenches her jaw & I see tears in her eyes. “Fine.”

I nod. I open my mouth but she gets in first.

“But start with what happened to you?” She asks, stepping over to the chair on her side of the table. She sits down. “Why do you look like you’ve been tortured?”

I sigh. “I got in a fight at a pub today.”

She looks shocked, her concern clear in her eyes. Behind all that anger, she still loves me. It's clear.

“The pub falls under West Warratah’s police district, however… According to Mark, they're swamped, & so his team was called out to handle the fight,” I explain. “Mark was one of the responding officers. I’m here to give a statement.”

“Oh, Jay,” She says softly, instinctively reaching out & taking my hand.

I cover hers with my other hand. _Oh how I've missed her touch!_

“And now for the hardest part,” I say. “Explaining myself. Explaining everything in regards to Rachael.”

I see the pain in her eyes. I expect her to pull her hand back, but it stays. I hesitate, figuring out the best words to tell her everything.

“Rachael… She's my ex wife,” I say. I hesitate. “Okay… Technically, she still is…” She scoffs & tries to pull her hand back but I hold onto it. “But we're separated & there's _no_ way that it's going to go back.”

“How do I believe you?”

“Because I let go of her ages ago!” I reply. “Things weren't so good between us, & I made the mistake of fixing it by marrying her. Things were good, but the problems came back. And I fell out of love with her. We separated, but she refuses to sign the divorce papers.”

She's fighting back tears. She looks away. I squeeze her hand, trying to pull her eyes back to mine.

“She thinks by not signing she can fix things between us,” I say. “She doesn't seem to understand that I’m done. It's been over for me for a very long time. The pregnancy is just one of her latest ruses to try & talk me back. But… I'm done. All I want from her is for the divorce to go through.”

She looks at me & licks her bottom lip. “I want to believe you,” She says. “I _really_ do. But…” She sighs. “You lied to me for months. And… I don't know if I can trust you.”

I nod. “I understand that you hate me for not being honest with you,” I reply. “If I could go back & tell you it on day one, I would. But I can't. And so I’m being honest with you right now. I’m telling you the truth.”

She fights back tears. She shakes her head as she looks at her lap.

I stand up, still holding her hand. I come around the desk & kneel beside her, her hand still in both my hands.

“All I want to do is to mend us,” I say. “I’m sorry for hurting you. You didn't deserve it. But I’m hurting too. I made the mistake not to tell you. And I made an even bigger one not sticking around & fighting harder for you.” I sigh. “Don't let her come between us. Because she's nothing more than a past love to me.” I let go of her hand, carefully cupping her face with both my hands. “I miss you _so_ much, Erin. I’m in love with you.”

Her breath catches in her throat, & she shakily inhales as she closes her eyes. She sighs. She turns her whole body to face me. She drops her head, resting her forehead against mine & for the first time in close to a fortnight, I’m agonisingly close to kissing her.

“I'm sorry,” She says. “I can't.”

“What?” I ask as she pulls away.

“I can't,” She replies, pushing my arms away. “I can't let you in again.”

“Aer,” I plead.

She stands, stepping past me & crosses the room. I stand & turn to her as she paces slightly, running her hands through her hair. All I want to do is wrap my arms around her, to hold her against me as she cries. But she won't let me.

“I don't know if I can trust you again,” She says, looking at me. “You say that you're over her, but…” She sighs. “How do I know that you won't lie to me again?”

I step towards her. “I promise you,” I reply. “I won’t lie again. I know that you can't handle any more heartache. So please let me fix this. Let me in again. I promise you I’ll be there for you.”

She stares at me, biting her bottom lip as she struggles not to cry any more than she already is. She shakes her head.

“I’m sorry,” She says.

My head hurts. Like a strong headache. I push the pain aside, determined to focus on her.

“Please, Aer.”

She shakes her head. “I can't.”

She steps around me, heading for the door. I try to take hold of her arm as she passes me, to kiss her in order to remind her of what we had, but the pain in my head worsens & my vision blurs. I miss her arm.

“Aer,” I say, barely above a whisper as I turn towards her as she heads for the door.

“Nothing's going to change my mind,” She says, not looking at me.

“I don't feel good.”

****

“Save it,” I reply. “It's not going to work.”

“ _Aer_ ,” He pleads, & I immediately recognise in the tone that he means it.

With one hand outstretched for the door handle, I push aside my anger & turn back to him. He sways, hands coming up & places his fingers on his temples. My stomach flips as the colour quickly vanishes from his face.

“Jay?” I ask, stepping back to him.

He doesn't respond. I reach out both hands to put them on his arms, but before I can make contact, he starts to faint.

“JAY!” I exclaim as I grab him.

He's too heavy for me, so I lower him onto the floor. He's already passed out, so I shift him into the recovery position. I cup his face with both my hands.

“Jay?” I ask. “Jay!”

But he doesn't respond. He's out. My instincts scream that he needs help. I look up.

“Mark!” I call towards the door.

No response.

I look at Jay. “Come on, Jay,” I reply, lightly tapping his face.

 _Nothing_.

I let go of his face & force myself up. I cross to the door & yank it open. I stop in the doorway, gripping the door with my left hand & the doorframe in my right.

“ _MAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRKKKKKK!!!_ ” I scream, not caring about anyone else.

He busts through the door from reception. He falters halfway to me when he sees my terrified look.

He crosses to me & I step aside to let him into the room. He sees Jay. Instead of going to Jay, he steps past me towards the recorder on the desk… & slams his hand on a red button on the wall before going to Jay & kneeling down.

_Am I about to loose the love of my life?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erin may not be pregnant, but she still has a complicated love life to handle. Will she follow her heart & be with Jay? That is, if he makes it...


	61. How Could You Know That I'm Under Your Spell?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Jay's life at risk, Erin faces her feelings once & for all. Someone will be left heartbroken. Meanwhile, Tyler has a surprise for Piper, but does she have an even bigger one for him? As Erin anxiously waits by Jay's side, there's a visitor who just might shake things up- but will it be positive?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter, but this was unintentionally long! But lots to cover, so...

“I’m sorry, you're gonna have to let go,” A Nurse tells me.

“ _NO!_ ” I firmly reply.

“Ma’am, you're not allowed past this point.”

I shake my head. I look at him. He's still unconscious, lying on his back with an oxygen mask on. I haven't let go of his hand since we were waiting for the ambulance. _I don't want to let go. Not again_.

“Aer,” Mark says, stepping over as he places a hand on my shoulder. “You need to let him go.”

I shake my head more forcefully.

“If you don't, then they can't save him, Aer,” He says. “You don't want to stop them from helping them, do you?”

“I want to go with him.”

“I know,” He says, softly. “But you can't.”

“Well, screw the rules! They _need_ to let me!”

“Ma’am-”

“ _NO!_ ”

She looks at Mark. His arms band around me, holding me tight as she & the other Nurses push Jay’s gurney along the corridor. Jay’s hand slips out of mine.

“ _Noooooooo!_ ” I scream as I struggle to get out of Mark’s arms.

“It's going to be alright, Aer,” Mark says.

I continue struggling as they push him through the doors. I burst into tears when the doors shut, obscuring my view of him. _I want to be there, by his side if he doesn't make it. I want to be the last thing he sees._

****

Mark & I are seated on one of the benches in the waiting area. His right arm is around my shoulders tightly, my head resting on his shoulder as I cry.

“How did you know?” I ask.

“Know what?” He asks.

“Knew that it was the right thing to do,” I reply. “Getting me to come to the station.”

He sighs. “To be honest… I didn't,” he says. “I know you're… sort of with Ned, but… I can tell that you miss Jay.”

I scoff but smile. “That obvious, huh?”

I can hear him swallow. “Uh… Not really,” He replies. “Paige… Told me.”

“Told you what?”

He hesitates. “About the… Pregnancy.”

I bolt up, staring at him in shock. “She _what_?”

“Don't be mad, Aer,” He replies. “I was worried about you & she didn't mean to tell me. She thought you had, since I was calling earlier trying to get hold of you & it just slipped out.”

“Yeah, cause telling someone their sister might be pregnant just _falls_ out!”

He sighs. “Aer, you know Paige wouldn't intentionally say it,” He replies. “She thought I knew already.”

I sigh & then nod. I look at my hands in my lap. “I’m sorry. I shouldn't be reacting to it like that.”

“Hey,” He replies, putting a hand on my back. “You're worried about Jay right now.”

I smile weakly. “For the record,” I reply, looking at him. “I'm not pregnant. It was a scare… Caused by too much stress.”

He rubs my back. “You okay about that?”

I nod… But then I shake my head. I close my eyes as I sigh. “I’ve been… Kidding myself the last fortnight,” I reply. “I’ve handled all of this the wrong way. I got angry at Jay instead of letting him explain things when I found out about Rachael. I let my hurt over him hiding it from me get in the way, I let it cloud my judgment & I pushed him away. And then I go & get drunk to hide the fact that I was more pissed off at myself for losing him than anything else. And what do I do? I go & try to sleep with the one guy who was showing me kindness when I was _so wasted_.” I look at my hands. “I didn't.” I look at him. “He kindly said no… At least that night. But it doesn't make what I’ve done since any better. Instead of facing my feelings for Jay, I went  & _threw_ myself at the first sexy guy who showed any attention to me.”

“Aer-”

“Don't even try & justify it. It's pointless,” I reply. “Especially when you hear how the rest of my day went.”

“So tell me.”

“I was here earlier, talking to Karl about the test results,” I reply. “And during the taxi ride home, I made the decision to break up with Ned. Although ‘break up’ is a rather _strong_ word for what I have with him…” I sigh. “I went to see him, found him working out in the backyard,  &… I let my out-of-control sex drive get the better of me, & I slept with him instead of breaking up with him. Not to mention the fact that I was ignoring your attempts to get me to see the _one_ guy that I _actually_ wanna be with!”

I get up, rub my hands over my face & I take a few steps from him.

“You know I actually had what I wanted for a few minutes,” I tell him as I turn back to him. “I was there, with the man that I am _madly_ in love with… I was _right there_ , where I’ve wanted to be all this time… Where I could tell him that I want to forgive him & that I love him. And what do I do? I shut him out. _Again_.” I lick my lip, fighting back tears. “I let the anger get in the way again. I made the _exact_ mistake again. And now…” I suck in air, feeling my chest tighten. Tears sting my eyes. “Now I may lose him for good,  &…” I let out a shaky breath. “I _don't_ want the last thing I said to him to be telling him to stop talking.” I shake my head, barely keeping back the tears. “I _don't_ want to lose him, Mark. Not when I’ve _just_ got him back. Not when I’ve not had the chance to tell him I forgive him… That I’m in love with him.”

“Hey,” he softly says as he stands. “Come here.”

He steps closer, wrapping his arms around me as I burst into tears. I grab the front of his hoodie tightly, sobbing against his chest as he rests his chin on the top of my head.

“I don't want to lose him.”

“You won't.”

****

“Hey,” Aaron says, & I lift my head from Mark’s shoulder.

He is crossing to us… With Felicity in his arms.

“Mumma!” Felicity says, one arm shooting out towards me.

“Hey, baby!” I reply as I stand. I take her from him.

“Sorry to just bring her unexpectedly,” he says. “But she was getting upset at home at Paige wasn't entirely sure what to do.”

“It's fine,” I reply, giving him a smile. I look at Felicity. “Did you miss me, baby?”

Felicity nods. I press a long kiss to her forehead. She plays with my necklace. And then says something unexpected.

“Where's Daddy?”

I inhale sharply. She hasn't said that since the first few days after I broke up with Jay. I nervously lick my bottom lip, trying to figure out how to explain this all to her. I look at Aaron & Mark for help.

“Hey Felicity,” Mark says, stepping over to us. “Jay- uh, daddy… He isn't well at the moment, which is why we’re here at the hospital. But… Uh… You’ll get to see him soon, okay? But in the meantime… You get to hang with your mum, Uncle Aaron & me!”

Felicity smiles.

“I think that deserves a _biiiiiig_ hug!” I say to Felicity. “Right baby?”

She nods. Mark holds his arms out, mouth & eyes wide, making Felicity giggle as I adjust her so I can pass her to Mark. He takes her, giving her a big hug.

“Awwwwww!!! Such a big hug from a little girl!” He says, making her giggle.

He looks at me as Felicity rests her head on his shoulder.

“Thank you,” I mouth.

He smiles before giving me a wink. He then spins around, making her giggle more.

****

Mark, Aaron & I sit in the waiting room, Felicity on Mark’s lap as we anxiously wait for news about Jay. Mark & Felicity are to my left, Aaron to my right. I notice Karl step up to the nurse’s station & hand the nurse something. He then turns towards us & heads our way. I see his serious expression & immediately bolt up. Mark & Aaron stand up.

“Hi, Erin,” Karl says. “Mark. Aaron.”

Felicity starts grumbling.

“I’ll take her for a walk,” Aaron says. “She probably shouldn't hear this anyway.”

I nod & he takes her from Mark. I give Felicity a kiss before Aaron walks off with her. I turn my attention back to Karl as I nervously wring my hands.

“Before I explain his condition, I just want to clarify some details,” Karl says. “Mark, you were there when he was found at the pub, right?”

Mark nods. “I was.”

“Was he… Showing any symptoms?”

“Uh…” Mark replies, thinking about it. “He was a bit drowsy. A little confused. But that was understandable, given he’d been drinking & had just been in a fight. If I suspected it was anything serious, I would have brought him here immediately.”

Karl nods. “I’m not blaming you. I’m just trying to establish when the symptoms began to appear.”

“And…” I ask. “What is it? What are those symptoms for?”

Karl looks at me & hesitates. “When he arrived, he was rushed straight to get a full body CT scan,” Karl says. “The scan shows that he has what we call Acute Subdural Hematoma.”

“That… Sounds serious.”

He nods. “It's when a sudden blow to the head- be it from an assault or a car accident- tears blood vessels that run along the surface of the brain,” he explains. “It occurs between the outer layer, the dura, which is just beneath the skull, & arachnoid layer, rather than the brain itself. As the blood accumulates, pressure on the brain increases & symptoms appear- like headaches, dizziness, confusion, among others. It's called Acute because it's fastest appearing of the Subdural Hematoma categories, given that it's appeared hours after.” He hesitates. “It's also the most deadly form.”

My jaw trembles, tears stinging my eyes. Mark places his right arm around me, holding on to my right shoulder.

“You don't need to worry, Erin,” Karl reassures me. “We’ve caught the bleed fairly early on, which means his chances of recovery are the very best we can hope for. I hear you were there when his symptoms appeared.”

I nod. “I was there when he collapsed.”

Karl gives me a reassuring smile. “You saved his life,” He says. “He’s lucky that you were there.”

I nod. _Very lucky_. Thirty more seconds,  & he wouldn't have been so lucky.

“He’s currently in surgery,” Karl says. “They're performing a Craniotomy.”

“What happens with that?” Mark asks.

“Basically,” Karl replies. “A large section of his skull is removed, giving the surgeon better access to the Hematoma, & reduces pressure. It takes time, but it’s the best course of action.”

“How… When will they be finished?” I ask.

“It shouldn't be too much longer,” He replies. “I observed most of the operation, to make sure that he was going to be okay before I came to you.”

I nod. “Thank you, Karl.”

He nods. “You're welcome.”

He turns to go.

“Uh, Karl.”

He turns back to me. “Yes, Erin?”

I swallow the lump in my throat, fighting back tears. “How… How long… Till I can see him?”

“Not long,” He replies. “They’ll keep him visitor free for a bit after he comes out of surgery, to allow them to monitor him. But I’ll make sure they know to come get you as soon as he can have visitors.”

I nod. Mark pulls me closer to him, pressing a kiss to the side of my head as Karl leaves.

“He's going to be alright,” Mark softly says.

“I hope so,” I whisper back.

****

“I do admire you both for being here for me, especially you, Mark, cause you left work to be here,” I tell Mark & Aaron. “But I’m _not_ leaving. Not until I’ve seen him.”

“You need to look after yourself,” Mark replies. “You need to eat.”

I nod. “I will. _After_ I’ve seen him.”

He sighs. “I know that you're worried about him, but… We don't know how long it will be before they allow him to have visitors.”

“I don't care how long I have to wait, I’m _not_ going anywhere.”

“Aer.”

“ _No_ ,” I reply. “You already know how I feel about what happened at the station. And now that I know if I had continued to ignore his pleas & walked out, he would probably be dead by now. So I’d rather go hungry for a few hours than leave.”

He looks at me for a long minute, & I see it in his eyes that he knows I won't back down.

“Alright,” He says. “But I’m going to stay with you.”

“You don't have to. Go home to Paige & your babies.”

He shakes his head. “I'm not leaving you here on your own so you can punish yourself.”

I tilt my head. “I’m not going to punish myself.”

“You're going to sit here & mentally beat yourself up for things you can't change.”

I sigh. “I hate it when you do that.”

He smiles slightly. “You're my sister.”

I bump him with my shoulder.

****

I’m not sure how long it is, but eventually a nurse comes & says that Jay’s allowed visitors. She tells us how to get to his room, we thank her before Mark escorts me to his room. He waits outside, allowing me to have some time alone with Jay.

I step inside, turning to close the door. I slowly turn back, feeling my chest tighten as I take him in. He's lying on his back, unconscious & a bandage around the top part of his head. He's so pale, even with bruises, & relies on a machine to help him breathe.

I cross to him, struggling to keep back tears. I sit down in the chair beside his bed & hold his right hand with my right hand. I lightly rub my thumb back & forth over his hand, a part of me secretly hoping that he’ll wake up even though I know he won't.

And then it all gets too much- I can't keep the tears back. He's slipping away from me again, & there's nothing I can do. I lean forward as the tears fall, resting my forehead against his arm.

“Come back to me, Jay,” I whisper.

****

I spend the next two days sitting by his side. I would have spent the first night sleeping in the chair beside him, but Mark had insisted I go home. Not that it did any good. I had a restless night’s sleep, haunted by dreams of him. Nightmares, mostly. Where he dies. So the first full day was spent half asleep, hand in his.

The second full day was a little better. Karl was happy that he was breathing on his own, so they took the tube out of his mouth & put him on a nasal cannula tube. Which is a big step forward. I just need him to open his eyes!

It's afternoon the second full day when the door opens. I sleepily look towards it, to see Mark poke his head in.

“Hey,” I say, sleepily.

“Hey,” He replies with a smile. “Uh… There's a little one outside who wants to visit.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. I’d sent Felicity home with Aaron before Jay was cleared for visitors. And I haven't brought her with me since. A part of me wants to shield her from seeing him lying here, at least while he's unconscious.

“Oh, I should have messaged you or something,” He says.

“It's fine, Mark. I’m just…” I sigh. “I dunno if I want her in here. Seeing him like this. Would it be too traumatic for her?”

“Perhaps,” He says. “But… she wants to see him. Why don't you come out here & talk to her?”

I look at Jay, reluctant to leave his side. But I know that I should talk to Felicity. So I get up, giving Jay's hand a squeeze before I turn & cross to the door. I step out, finding Paige sitting outside with Felicity on her lap.

“Hey,” I say as I walk over.

“Hey,” Paige replies. “Look, Felicity! There's Mum!”

Felicity looks up from her toy, which falls onto the floor.

“Mummmyyyyyyy!!!” She squeals.

“Hey baby!” I reply as I sit down next to them.

Paige passes her to me & I cuddle Felicity.

“Where's Daddy?” Felicity asks.

I sigh, preparing myself to tell her what's going on. “He's not well,” I reply. “He's been hurt, & that's why he's here. But he's getting better. He’s getting better every day. And one day he’s going wake up.”

“Not well,” Felicity mumbles.

“Yeah, my baby,” I reply, fighting back tears. And that’s when it hits me- _I should let her see him_. “You wanna see him, darling?”

“Daddy!” She says, her face lighting up.

I stand, noting Mark’s concerned look.

“I think it will be good for her to see him,” I say.

He nods. “We’ll be out here if you need us.”

I smile & nod. I then walk over to Jay’s room, holding Felicity in one arm so I can open the door. I slowly enter, quietly shutting the door before slowly crossing to the chair I’ve spent so much time in.

“Daddy!” Felicity says, leaning away from me with her arms stretched out towards him.

She cries when he doesn’t respond, wriggling in an attempt to get closer to him & I barely stop her from falling.

“ _Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy_!!!!”

“Baby, it’s okay,” I coo.

I rest her on the edge of his bed, beside his right arm, using my body as a shield so she doesn’t fall off. She places her hands on him, lightly hitting him.

“Daddy! Wake up!”

I clasp my left hand over my mouth, stifling my own cry & tears fall. I wish there was something I could do to get him to wake.

****

“You know, picking at it won’t do anything,” Aaron says, nudging me as we sit having breakfast.

I force a smile. “Just… lost in thought.”

“About Jay?”

I nod. “Among other things.”

He nods. “Ned?”

I narrow my eyes slightly. “I hate it when you & Mark do that! Mind read.”

He smiles. “We just know sometimes.”

I sigh. “I need to sort things out.”

“You’re going through hell,” he replies. “Don’t feel like you have to right now.”

I shake my head. “I need to talk to Ned,” I reply. “He deserves to know everything.”

“Right now?” He asks as I stand.

“He shouldn’t be led on any longer.”

“At least eat first.”

I shake my head. “Not hungry.”

“You need to look after yourself.”

“I am, Az,” I reply, before giving his cheek a kiss. “I’ll be back shortly for Felicity.”

He nods. “I’ll keep an eye on her.”

I smile. “You’re a good brother.”

“Always,” He says, pulling me in for a hug.

****

I walk out of Lauren’s into the backyard, finding Ned at the bar fixing something. He looks up as I walk over.

“Hey,” I say, smiling.

“Hey,” He replies. “And here I was thinking you were avoiding me.”

“I’ve just been… busy.”

He frowns slightly. “With work?”

I take a deep breath in. “Not… exactly.”

He nods. “I can see that you want to talk to me about whatever it is.”

“Okay, people have got to stop reading my mind,” I reply. “Unless it’s actually reading my mind, cause I could _really_ do with you doing that instead of me explaining it all.”

“Okay, take a seat,” He replies, pointing to one of the stools.

****

“Hey,” I say, opening the front door.

“Hey,” He replies with a grin, before closing the gap & kissing me. “You don’t have any plans today, do you?”

“Well… it’s a Saturday, so I don’t have school…”

He smiles. “Good. I have plans for the both of us.”

I raise my eyebrow. “You do?”

He nods. “Mmmmhmmm.”

“And? What is it?”

“It’s a surprise.”

“Okay,” I reply. “I’m gonna go grab my jacket.”

He nods, before kissing me. “I’ll wait here.”

****

“So… that’s why Mark was so desperate to contact you the other day,” He says.

I swallow the lump in my throat & nod. “Yeah,” I softly reply.

“You didn’t tell me he is her father.”

I narrow my eyes. “What?”

“You heard me, Erin,” He replies. “You didn’t tell me that you’d just broken up with your daughter’s father.”

I’m shocked. And then it hits. “Oh, no! No, Ned. You’ve got it wrong!”

He shrugs. “Do I?”

“I don’t know where you got the idea from,” I reply. “But Jay _isn’t_ Felicity’s dad.”

“So how come she calls him ‘daddy’?”

I narrow my eyes. “Where… where did you hear that?”

“Yesterday afternoon,” He replies. “I called Paige about something else, & I heard Felicity in the background.”

I close my eyes. He must have called her when she was waiting outside Jay’s room.

“Look, she just says that, okay?” I reply. “She came out with it one day, & I’ve tried getting her to stop but she hasn’t listened & Jay didn’t mind it. So… It stuck. But I… he’s biologically not her father.”

“But you still love him?”

I hesitate. And I can’t help but smile when I reply, “Yeah.”

He nods, slowly. “You should follow your heart.”

“You sure?”

****

I nod. “What we have is just fun,” I reply. “So go be with him.”

She gives me a small smile. “You know,” She says. “I feel guiltier for doing all of this with you when you're this nice to me.”

She looks down & I take the opportunity to swallow the lump in my throat. _Just tell her you love her!_

“Anyway…” She says. “I should… I should go. I should get back to Felicity.”

I nod. “Sure.”

“We can still be… Friends… Yeah?”

I nod. “Of course.”

She smiles, sighs in relief. She then hops off the stool. She turns to go, takes a step but then turns back & kisses my cheek. Her face lingers near mine, & there's a long moment when all I have to do is turn to my right & press my lips to hers.

But she turns & slips away before I can.

I sigh, rubbing the bridge of my nose with two fingers. _Why did you encourage her to go???_

“Are you okay?” Lauren asks.

I lift my head, turning to her. She's standing a few steps away.

“Yeah,” I reply, getting up & turning my attention to what I was fixing.

“You sure?”

I sigh, looking at her. “Why wouldn't I be?”

“Because you let go of the woman you love.”

I look back down, trying to hide the involuntary jaw clench.

“I know it, because… I’ve seen that look,” She says. “In fact, I’ve been on the receiving end of it.”

I sigh, looking at her. “And your point is?”

“You should tell her.”

“Why?”

“Uh, so she knows.”

I shake my head. “It doesn't matter.”

“Of _course_ it does, Ned!” She says. “She should know how you feel.”

“She loves someone else.”

“So you're just going to pretend like you don't feel the way you do for her?”

I sigh, looking at her again. “Telling her how I feel _isn't_ going to change a thing,” I reply. “She loves Jay. There's _no_ way I can make her change her mind.”

“How do you know?”

“I just know,” I reply.

She shrugs. “So that's it. You're going to just give up on it.”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “If I was meant to be with her, she would be with me instead. But…” I sigh, shaking my head. “There's no point in trying to fight. It won't change anything.”

****

We pull into a carpark at Brighton beach, Tyler parks & switches the engine off.

“So,” He says. “Surprise!”

“Definitely surprised!”

“I know it's not the nicest weather,” He replies. “But I thought, we’ve been through so much, we should have some time alone. Escape all the negativity that's been hovering around us. And…” He leans closer to me. “You’ve been doing so well with your recovery, I thought I’d give you a treat.”

“Having a movie marathon while curled up next to you would have been enough.”

“Let me woo you a little, okay?”

“Never.”

“Come here,” he replies, cupping the back of my head & pulls me in.

I sigh contentedly into his mouth.

****

“Grub’s up!” He says.

I tear my eyes from the waves to look at him. He steps up to me as I half sit on some rocks at the edge of the path. He's got the package of fish & chips in his hands, two bottles of coke held against his chest by his left arm- but what's surprising is the picnic blanket & blanket draped over his right shoulder.

I raise my eyebrow. “Did some shopping too, huh?”

“Noooo, I bought these from home,” He replies. “They were in the boot.”

I nod. “Right.”

“Let's go find a spot & eat before these get cold.”

We head a little further south on the beach, Tyler gives me the food & drinks, draping the blanket over my shoulders before he puts down the picnic blanket. He takes the food & his drink & we settle on the blanket.

****

“Mmmm!” I say, sucking my fingers clean.

He laughs.

“What?” I ask.

“I just don't think I’ve ever seen you be so keen to do that.”

“Well, maybe you’ve never seen me eating anything _this_ delicious.”

He leans closer & kisses me, his hand cupping my cheek.

“Thanks for today.”

He smiles. “It's not over yet,” He replies, still cupping my cheek. “But you're welcome.”

“What else have you got planned?”

“Just… Sit here… Watch the waves.”

“Or…”

He raises his eyebrow. “You _that_ keen to get home, back to the chaos?”

“Noooo,” I reply, a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. “I’m suggesting that we go find a hotel nearby, &…”

He bites his lip, knowing what I mean. We haven't made love since my accident, to give my body time to heal. We’ve slept together, just not _slept_ together.

“Much as I want to,” He replies. “I think we shouldn't.”

“Why not?”

He swallows. “I… I don't want to hurt you.”

I pull back, raising an eyebrow. “Hurt me?”

He sighs. “You're still healing.”

I press my lips together tightly. “Tyler.”

“Piper…”

I place my hand on his chest & push him over so he's lying on the picnic blanket. I straddle him, sliding both my hands under his jacket & shirt. I rock my hips back & forth.

“I want you, Tyler.”

“And I want you too,” he replies, fighting the urge to moan.

“So why say no?”

“Because I haven't been able to do it with you for a _long_ time,” he replies. “I want to make sure that you're okay before we do.” He swallows. _Hard_. “I don't want to risk creating more damage.”

“You won't.”

“Not intentionally,” He replies, placing his hands on my hips to stop them moving. “But I know if we go there… I might not be able to control myself.”

“Awwww! Well, aren't you cute!”

He smiles. “I care too much about you. I’ve been partly to blame for you being hurt so much this year. I don't want to be _directly_ responsible for hurting you.”

“So… Let's take it easy then.”

He sighs. “Let's just stay here.”

I lean down, the movement rubbing our hip areas together & he groans.

“You sure about that?”

He nods. “See how this goes,” he replies. “Then _maybe_ later…”

I smirk. “Oh, I’ll make sure that ‘ _maybe_ ’ becomes a _definite_.”

“I have no doubt you will,” he replies, as I close the gap.

“Mmmmhmmm,” I reply just before pressing my lips against his for a slow kiss.

He wraps his arms around me.

****

“Okay, you can stop scaring me now,” I say to Jay. Karl told me that it helps to talk to patients like Jay. “Come on, Jay. Come back to me.”

I sigh, fighting back tears. I wrap my hand around his, suddenly realising how small mine are compared to his.

“There's so much I wanna tell you,” I reply, fighting back a smile. “But I’m not going to say it to you when you're like this. So if you wanna hear what I have to say, you better wake up, okay?”

I wait, holding my breath as I hope he opens his eyes. But… _Nothing_.

I sigh.

****

I relax back against him, sighing contentedly as he wraps his arms around me tighter. I’m sitting between his legs as we stare across the bay as the sun sets, the blanket wrapped around both of us. He drops his head, kissing my exposed neck on my left side. I moan.

“Don't,” I whine.

“Why not?” He replies, his breath hot on my skin.

“If you won't take me to a hotel to make love, you can't go doing stuff like that.”

“Mmmm,” He replies, turning his head so his lips brush up my neck. He lightly nips my earlobe, before whispering, “And what if I’ve changed my mind about that?”

I turn my head left, forcing his head back & look at him over my shoulder.

“Really?”

He nods. “I’ve been thinking about it,” He replies. “And I’ve decided that holding back isn't fair on either of us. It will be the perfect way to end today.”

I smile. “I’m glad you changed your mind.”

“Me too,” He replies, smiling as he closes the gap & kisses me.

We look up hotels on his mobile, finding the nicest one in the local area. We pack up, throwing our rubbish in a bin on the way back to the car. I wait in the lobby while Tyler goes over to the reception desk to book a room. I sit down in a comfy chair & text Mum to let her know where I am so she doesn't worry.

Soon enough, Tyler is crossing over to me. I get up, meeting him halfway & we head for the lifts. He puts his arm around me & presses a kiss to my temple as the lift takes us up to our floor. The door opens & we exit the lift, his arm still around me. We walk along to our room & he has to take his arm from around me so he can open the door. He holds it open, gesturing for me to enter first.

“Thanks,” I say, smiling as I step past.

“You're welcome,” he replies.

It's a beautiful room & I can just see the bay out the window over the balcony. But I’m barely inside when his hand grabs hold of mine just as the door clicks shut. I gasp as he pulls me back, passing him & he presses my back against the door. He places his hands on the door either side of me, boxing me in, & stares at me for a long minute. And then it all gets too much, & he closes the gap, lips crashing into mine as his body presses against mine.

I pull his jacket & shirt off, tossing them further into the room as his hands slip under my shirt. He pulls my handbag off, dropping it on the floor, before his hands pull at my jacket. He strips that & then my shirt, his body keeping me pinned to the door as he tosses my shirt aside. He then lifts me up, my legs instinctively wrapping around his hips. He presses me hard against the door again & we both moan as his erection rubs against me. He breaks our kiss, kissing a line along my left jaw & down my neck. He playfully nips the base of my neck, & I dig my nails into his back.

“You planning on doing all of this right here?” I mutter. “Against the door?”

“I’m just starting things here,” he replies, lips brushing my skin.

I hold his bun, pulling him back to look me in the eyes.

“I'm ready,” I say. “ _Beyond_ ready.”

“You sure?”

“I think that's a little too late, Ty…”

He smiles. “Just making sure.”

I nod. “Let's take this to the bed.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Bossy, much?”

“Shut up,” I reply before kissing him.

He wraps his arms around me, his left arm supporting my back, his right gripping my ass. He steps back, turning around & carries me over to the bed. He lowers me down, lying on top of me as we continue to kiss.

****

I’m on my way back to his room with a cup of takeaway coffee. The hospital cafeteria coffee isn't as nice as _Harold's_ , but I’m not going to go that far from him for it.

“Erin!” She says, as I reach for his room’s door handle.

I close my eyes, arm still outstretched, & sigh before I turn around. Rachael’s walking over, now with a pram & I feel the anger burning inside me.

“What do you want?” I ask.

“Wow,” She replies. “Cold, much?”

“Only because it's you,” I reply. “You know that I’m kind to pretty much everyone. Except when they lie to me.”

“How do you know that I was lying when you helped me find the pub?”

I raise my eyebrow. “So you're telling me that, despite claiming to be in love with Jay & wanting to repair your relationship, you _didn't_ know that I even existed? You honestly didn't know that he has moved on?” I ask. “I wouldn't be surprised if you _weren't_ actually lost that day. That you intentionally set that up. Played the innocent pregnant woman who was lost. To get close to me & ensure that _I_ saw you two together.”

She stares at me. “So what?”

“You drove a wedge between Jay & me,” I reply. “Because of _you_ , I may not have the chance to tell him how I really feel. I may _never_ get to reconcile with him. Sure, you weren't the one to beat him up that led to him lying in there-” I point to his room. “But you created the gap between us. If you hadn't, there's a _huge_ chance that he wouldn't have even been involved in the fight that is now putting his life on the line. And I may _never_ get the chance to tell him that I want to be with him, that I’m madly in love with him. So I don't care what you came here expecting to see happen, but there's no _way_ that I’m letting you in there.”

“Legally I can,” She replies. “In the eyes of the law, I’m his next of kin. Which gives me a _lot_ more power of you than you think.”

“You may still be married to him,” I reply. “But I’m in the hospital records as his next of kin.”

She scoffs. “That doesn't disqualify that I’m his wife.”

“I don't give a damn! You are _never_ setting foot in that room,” I reply. “And if you _actually_ gave a shit about him, you would know that the best thing to do is for you to stay away.”

She smirks a little. “Wow. Never picked you to be so feisty,” She replies. “Good for you!”

I sigh. “What exactly did you come here for?”

“I'm leaving. For Sydney tomorrow,” She replies. “The little one’s arrival delayed me after Jay rejected me. And before you ask, yes, she _isn't_ Jay's, so you don't have to worry about him paying child support or flying up to Sydney to visit once a month or anything. I know that you dumped him two weeks ago.”

I look at her, shocked.

“He came to me, straight after it happened, furious that I turned up unannounced & it was clear that he hated me for causing you two to split,” She says. “That's when I knew he had fallen for someone else. That he was gone for good. Annnd… I guess a part of me hoped that, with me gone, he would manage to win you back.” She looks into the pram. “I was planning on leaving, but she decided to come earlier than expected. And her arrival has put things into perspective.” Her baby grumbles, so she pushes the pram back & forth to rock her. “Instead of leaving, heading home with my tail between my legs, it made me face things. I can't keep delaying things. I can't keep postponing the inevitable. I can't keep running away from it.” She stops moving the pram, bending over & extracting a large, yellow envelope from the basket underneath the main part of the pram. “I wanted to drop this off. Even if he's not awake, I was going to put it in his room for him. But I’m glad that you're here. You deserve to see it too.”

I frown as she takes a step closer. “What is it?”

“Take it, & see for yourself,” She replies, holding it out to me.

I hesitate.

“It's what he wanted,” She says, holding it a little closer to me.

I hesitate again, before slowly taking it. I note the curly writing that simply says ‘Jay Soffer’.

“I can tell he's not mine anymore. Tell him he's free,” She replies. “Or yours.”

Before I can do more than open my mouth, she turns, grabs the pram & walks off. I stand there, stunned for a while. I then look down at the envelope, & my curiosity gets the better of me as one thought keeps going round in my head-

 _It's what he wanted_.

I cross to the chairs, putting my cup down on one before straightening & turn my focus back to the envelope. I carefully unseal it, keeping it as neat as possible. I pull out a thick pile of paper held together by a bull clip, instantly knowing it's a document. I flick through the first few pages. Shocked & surprised, I flick faster through the rest. When done, I close the document & tuck it back into the envelope as I reel from what I’ve just seen. I fold the envelope closed, still stunned.

I look towards his room, staring at him through the window. _Now all I need is for you to wake up. We finally have the chance to be happy. Really happy._

****

I’m resting my head on his leg, my left hand resting on his right hand. It's getting late, I’m pushing the end of visiting hours, but I can't shake the feeling that he just might wake. And I want him to wake up & see me rather than an empty room.

His fingers twitch & I hold my breath. His breathing increases, his chest rising & falling at a steady pace. He groans & I lift my head. Before I know it, I’m on my feet moving closer to him, my right hand instinctively entwining with his. He opens his eyes, struggles to keep them open but focuses on me.

“Hey,” He croakily says before smiling.

“Hey,” I reply, smiling & fighting back tears.

“I hoped that you would be here.”

I smile, my heart pounding because he's finally awake. All I want to do is place my hands on his cheeks & kiss him, but I don't want to rush things.

“You know,” I say. “That was one hell of a way of getting my attention.”

He smirks. “I figured I should go big.”

I stifle a laugh. “I should… I should go get Karl, so he can make sure everything is okay.”

He nods. I want to kiss him so bad, & I can tell he wants to too, but this isn't a romantic setting. So I turn & head out. Karl is at the nurse’s station, working on paperwork.

“Hey, Erin,” He says as I approach. “Are you on your way home?”

“No,” I reply. “I came out to say…” I can't stop the smile appearing. “He's awake.”

Karl looks surprised. He stands & we head back to Jay’s room, Karl entering first. They greet each other & then Karl does some tests- checking Jay’s pupils, as well as whether he can move his hands, arms, toes, feet & legs.

“At the moment,” Karl says. “There's no signs of any permanent damage.”

Jay & I sigh in relief.

“I’ll book you in for a CT scan for tomorrow, so we can make sure that there's no damage,” Karl says. “You’re lucky.”

Jay smiles, his eyes drifting to mine. “I sure am.”

“In the meantime,” Karl replies, oblivious to the moment Jay & I are having. “This might sound strange, given you’ve been in a coma, but you should just rest. Try & sleep.”

Jay nods. “Thanks, Doc.”

Karl nods. “No worries,” He replies. “If you need anything, just press this button.”

Jay nods as he looks at the button Karl is pointing to.

“I’ll leave you to it,” Karl says.

“Thanks, Karl,” I reply as he steps past me.

He pats my shoulder. I stay where I am until the door clicks shut.

“Come sit,” Jay says.

I swallow the lump in my throat. “It's getting late,” I reply. “They’ll probably kick me out soon anyway.”

He nods slowly. “Should have woken up earlier.”

“Yeah,” I softly reply.

“How's Felicity?”

“She's good,” I reply. “She was here yesterday.”

His face drops. “You brought her here?”

I nod slowly. “She wanted to see you.”

He nods slowly. “Can you bring her in tomorrow?”

I nod. "Sure."

“Good,” he replies, with a little smile.

We stare at each other for a long moment.

“Anyway,” I sigh. “I should… I should go. Catch her before she sleeps.”

He nods. “Give her a kiss goodnight from me.”

I nod. “I will.”

“Good,” he softly says.

I bend over to pick up my handbag, spotting the envelope for him. I pick both up, putting my handbag on my shoulder.

“What's that?” He asks, frowning as he looks at the envelope.

“It's for you,” I reply, holding it out to him.

He takes it & goes to open it.

“Don't,” I say just as his fingers brush the tab. “Save it for later.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Don't you want me to see what it is?”

I smile slightly. “Consider it reading material for when I’m not here.”

He slowly nods. “Maybe I’ll just leave it till tomorrow,” he replies, reaching over & putting it on his bedside table.

“Well, whenever you do read it,” I reply. “I think you’ll like it.”

He raises his eyebrow. “You know, teasing me like that is making me want to rip it open & read it right now.”

I shrug. “Maybe I’ll leave you to it,” I reply, turning & walking towards the door.

“Sleep well.”

I stop & turn halfway back. “I will, now that you're awake.”

He grins. _God, I’ve missed seeing that!_ And the urge to kiss him returns.

“Sleep well too, Jay.”

He nods. “See you & Felicity tomorrow morning.”

“No doubt she'll make me bring her so we’re here when visiting hours begin.”

He smiles. “That will be the best start to the day.”

I smile as I nod. “Yeah,” I softly reply.

He looks like he really wants to tell me something, but then changes his mind. “Goodnight, Erin.”

“Goodnight, Jay.”

I turn & walk out, shutting the door behind me. I exhale a breath I didn't know I was even holding. _Maybe I won't sleep so well tonight…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Jay's okay, but what did Rachael leave for him? And what will Ned do about his feelings for Erin? Is there something else he’s hiding?


	62. Reconnecting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With him back in her life, Erin reconnects with Jay. But how long will it take for them to give in to their feelings? And Jay handles the news in the envelope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter due to me deciding there was a really cute moment that would work well as a end chapter moment, rather than being lost in the middle of a longer chapter.

I sigh, unable to sleep. Maybe it’s cause I’ve been unconscious for days, or maybe it’s because I regret not pulling her in & kissing her the way I’ve wanted to for the last fortnight. Or maybe it’s the fact that she left a mysterious envelope with me… Either way, I’m not getting any sleep.  
I flick on the lamp, & grab the envelope. I notice that it’s been opened & then attempted to be sealed again. Frowning, I pull it open & pull out what’s inside.  
I read through it. Once. Twice. In disbelief.  
 _Divorce papers_.  
****  
“Someone’s in a happy mood,” Paige says, as we all have breakfast.  
“Yeah, you are happier,” Mark adds. “What’s going on?”  
“What? Can’t I be happy?” I ask. “Is it a crime?”  
“No,” He replies. “It’s just… surprising. Given recent events.”  
“It’s not cause you got some last night,” Paige says. “Cause you were here all night.”  
“Okay, my s-e-x life is off topic for you,” I reply, conscious of the fact that Felicity is present. “But, no, that’s not why I’m happy.”  
“You may as well just tell us what’s got you in a good mood,” Aaron says.  
“Rachael dropped by yesterday afternoon.”  
Paige drops her knife. “You’re happy cause the woman who ripped you & Jay apart paid you a visit?” She asks. “What weird, twisted world am I in?”  
“Firstly, her presence isn’t the best thing,” I reply. “But it’s what she gave me for Jay that has me in a good mood.”  
“What did she give you?”  
“Papers.”  
They all look confused. Paige then hits Mark with the back of her hand. “OH MY _GOD_!”  
“ _Ow_!” He says.  
“Are you serious?” Paige asks me.  
I nod. She squeals.  
“What weird female language are you two talking in?” Mark asks.  
“Don’t you get it?” Paige replies.  
“Get what?”  
“Rachael dropped into the hospital,” She replies. “To give Jay the _divorce_ papers that he wants!”  
Mark turns to me, surprised. “Seriously?”  
I nod. “Yep.”  
“That’s great!”  
“That’s not all!”  
They all look surprised.  
“Oh my god, that’s not the biggest surprise, right?” Paige asks.  
I smile, trying to hold back my excitement. “Jay woke up last night.”  
Paige, Mark & Aaron look shocked, their jaws wide open.  
“Are you sure?” Mark asks.  
I raise my eyebrow at him. “Would I honestly lie about the love of my life waking up?”  
“I’m just making sure that you didn’t hallucinate,” he replies. “You haven’t exactly been sleeping well since he was admitted.”  
I place a hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for being concerned, but I’m not,” I reply. “He woke up.”  
He nods. “I’m happy for you.”  
“We all are,” Aaron adds.  
“Thanks,” I reply. “Oh, I’ll be looking after Felicity today.”  
Paige wiggles her eyebrows. “Taking her to see her future dad.”  
I tilt my head. “You’re getting ahead of everything.”  
“One, he’s back in your life, that’s a really good sign,” She replies. “Two, she already calls him daddy. It’s only a matter of time before you make it official.”  
“Things aren’t going anywhere right now,” I reply. “We haven’t even patched things up yet. He woke up near the end of visiting hours last night. By the time Karl was done checking him over, I had to leave. So _please_ don’t go assuming that I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him.”  
“Alright,” Paige replies. “But… you did call him, & I quote, ‘the love of my life’.”  
“Urgh!” I reply, rolling my eyes. “I’m gonna go.”  
I get up & take my dishes into the kitchen.  
****  
The door into my room opens & I look across as Erin appears with Felicity in one arm.  
“ _Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyy_!” Felicity squeals, wriggling.  
“Hey!” I reply, smiling as Erin shuts the door.  
“Hey,” Erin says, smiling as she steps over to me.  
“Come give me a hug, Felicity,” I say, holding my hands out to her.  
Erin puts her down on my bed, & she crawls close enough. I lift her up, bringing her closer. I hold her against my chest, just tight enough not to crush her.  
“I missed you,” I say. I look at Erin. “Both of you.”  
Erin smiles, before bowing her head to hide the blush.  
“We’ve missed you too,” She replies as she sits down.  
I look down at Felicity, finding that she’s fallen asleep on my chest.  
“Wow,” I reply. “She’s tuckered out already.”  
Erin nods. “I think she’s had as much trouble sleeping the last few days as I have,” She replies. “Maybe she picked up on my mood.”  
“Maybe,” I reply. “So… how’s things been with you?”  
“Uh… they’ve been… not too bad,” She replies. “Not much happened. Beyond crying. Missing you. Doing a few stupid things…”  
“Oh? What stupid things?”  
“Nothing that you need to know.”  
I nod. “Sure.”  
“How was the gigs you had?”  
I raise an eyebrow. “How did you…” And then it hits. “Aaron.”  
She nods. “The day I walked in on him talking to you on the phone.”  
I nod. “Yeah, I needed to take up the offer,” I reply. “It’s good exposure, but also…” I sigh. “I needed some time away from here.”  
She nods slowly. “To move on from me.”  
I nod slowly. “But… the distance only made it all harder.”  
I can see her breath catch.  
“Every night, I wanted to walk off stage & see you standing there,” I tell her. “I wanted to share it with you. And it just made it harder to move on.”  
“I wish I’d been there with you too.”  
“You were,” I reply. “In spirit.”  
“I also know I was good inspiration for you.”  
I frown, confused.  
“I watched a few videos on YouTube.”  
I smirk. “You should have messaged me.”  
“You know you could have,” She replies. “Instead of dedicating _Only Want_ to me.”  
“Yeah,” I reply, bowing my head to hide the blush I feel rising in my cheeks. “I wasn’t sure what you would think if I contacted you.”  
She raises her eyebrow. “So you decided to publicly send me one instead?”  
“It was romantic & you know it.”  
She tries to fight it but she smiles. “Yeah,” She softly replies.  
****  
Felicity sleeps most of the morning on his chest, before spending most of the afternoon playing with him. His door opens, & Toadie steps in.  
“Toadie,” I say, surprised as he shuts the door.  
“Hi Erin,” He replies. “Jay.”  
“Hey Toadie,” Jay replies. “Thanks for coming.”  
“No worries.”  
“What’s going on?” I ask.  
“She doesn’t know?” Toadie asks Jay.  
“Can we not discuss me like I’m not here?” I reply.  
“Uh, I asked him to come, Erin,” Jay replies. “I wanted his opinion.”  
I open my mouth, about to ask him about what, then it hits. “The divorce papers.”  
Jay nods. “I want to make sure that everything is fair in it.”  
“As you should,” I reply.  
“We’ll start by me reading through it,” Toadie says.  
Jay nods. “It's just over there on the bedside table.”  
“I’ll get it,” I reply, getting up.  
I grab the envelope off the table & hand it to Toadie.  
“Thanks,” he says as he takes it.  
“You're welcome.”  
****  
“Toadie,” I say, stepping out of Jay’s room after him.  
“Yes?” He asks, turning back to me as I shut the door behind me.  
I step over to him. “Uh… How long… Will it take?”  
He frowns. “Oh, the divorce?”  
I nod.  
He thinks. “Uh… I don't know if I can answer that.”  
“Even just an estimate?”  
“It can take months.”  
“Months?”  
“There's a process with divorces,” he explains. “There's only so much I can do to get it done fast. It's one of those legal processes that takes time. But fortunately, there is no kids involved, so we should be looking at a minimum of four months. However, it could easily take longer than that. I really can't make a definitive timeframe.”  
I sigh. “Right.”  
“I'm sorry, I know that's not what you were hoping to hear,” He replies. “But it's the best that I can do at this stage.”  
I nod. “It's fine.”  
“As we discussed in there, there's only a few points that I need to contact her lawyer over,” He replies. “I’ll call them as soon as I get back to my office.”  
I nod. “Thank you for doing all of this.”  
“Hey, I’m happy to help out any time.”  
“Still,” I reply. “I appreciate it.”  
He nods. “Anyway…”  
“Oh, yeah. Go.”  
He smiles. “Bye.”  
“Bye.”  
****  
 **A few days later…**  
Karl is heading to Jay’s room just as I’m arriving.  
“Karl,” I say, walking faster.  
He stops & looks at me. “Oh, hey Erin,” he says just as I catch up. “I was just heading in to tell Jay some good news.”  
“May I sit in?”  
“Of course.”  
He leads me over to Jay’s room, Karl entering first.  
“Well, aren't I lucky?” Jay says as we step over. “Getting two visitors at once.”  
Karl smiles as I sit down on the edge of Jay’s bed beside his legs.  
“I have some very good news for you.”  
“Oh?” Jay asks.  
Karl nods. “You're officially cleared to be discharged.”  
Jay & I look surprised.  
“The last CT scan indicates that you're well enough to leave,” Karl says. “I do, however, want you to spend a few days not alone. Just as a precaution, in case any symptoms appear.”  
“I’m sure we’ll be able to work some arrangement out,” Jay replies, his eyes drifting to me.  
I smile at Jay, seeing Karl nod in the corner of my eye.  
“I’ll go get your discharge papers organised,” Karl says. “You can get dressed & come out when you're ready.”  
Jay nods. “Thanks, Karl.”  
He smiles. “No worries.”  
He then switches off the monitors, removes Jay’s IV line & then leaves. We stay quiet until the door clicks shut.  
“Sooo…” Jay says.  
“Sooo…” I reply.  
“I was thinking…”  
“Mmmm?”  
“That… I… Would you move in with me?”  
I raise my eyebrows, jaw dropping.  
“With Felicity of course,” he adds. “Just for a couple of days. Since Karl wants me not to be alone.”  
“I… Uh…” I reply, trying to get my head back in order. “I was thinking you’d… Move in with me.”  
He raises his eyebrow. “Yours is pretty crowded.”  
I nod. “But you’ve slept there before without complaint,” I reply. “Besides… The more people, the better.” He looks surprised. “Not that I’m saying I _don't_ want alone time with you,” I quickly add. “It's just… What if something _does_ happen to you? I’m scared about what I would do… How I would handle things if it was just the two of us at yours.”  
He nods. “Alright,” He replies. “But only if your brothers & Paige agree.”  
I smile. “Oh, I'm sure Paige will leap at the opportunity to have you there.”  
“Oh, she's giving you grief again, isn't she?”  
I nod.  
“Tell her to mind her own business.”  
“Easier said than done.”  
He smirks.  
“I’m gonna go out into the hall, & try to call my brothers,” I say, standing. “You can get dressed.”  
He nods. “I’ll meet you out there.”  
I nod.  
****  
I manage to get all four of them on a group call- thankfully, Mark’s at home with Paige. I ask if Jay can move in, & Paige had barely let me say it when she agreed.  
“Are you sure that's a good idea?” Mark asks.  
I can hear Paige hit his arm. _Hard_.  
“I mean, it's rushing things,” He says. “Don't you think?”  
“It's just for a few days, Mark,” I reply.  
“I agree with Mark,” Tyler says.  
“Az?” I ask.  
He sighs. “He does have a point,” Aaron replies. “You two haven't really made up since your break up. Don't you think him moving in is a huge step?”  
“I get that, but… It's just for a few days,” I reply. “Karl wants him to not be alone just in case, & I really don’t know if I can handle if he collapses when it's just me & him.”  
“You did a great job last time,” Mark says.  
“Only cause I screamed for you.”  
Mark sighs. “Alright, fine. Just for a few nights.”  
“Good!” I reply. “Ty? Az?”  
“Agreed,” They say in unison.  
****  
After he’d been officially discharged, I drove him back to his. He had just the clothes he had on from the fight, which were splattered with blood. So he showered as I started to get a few things of his ready to go.  
“You really did miss me,” he says as I’m smelling one of his clean shirts.  
I jump, startled, dropping it as I turn to him. He's standing in the doorway into his ensuite, wearing nothing but a towel as he casually leans against the doorframe. My eyes drift over his damp chest, & I nervously lick my lips.  
He smirks as he crosses to me. He stops close enough for me to hold my breath, intentionally leaning past me to pull a shirt out. For a long moment, I want turn his face to mine & kiss him. As if he knows what I’m thinking, he turns his head… & our lips are agonisingly close.  
But he steps away & I exhale.  
****  
Having Jay at mine is familiar. Feels _sooooo good_! Even with things still slightly awkward between us. Neither of us really know what to do. And then there's Paige, who seems to watch our _every_ move.  
We had agreed that, given how things are between us, Jay would sleep on an inflatable mattress that we’d set up on my bedroom floor. Neither Tyler or Aaron's bedrooms are big enough to fit one, so it was either awkwardly sharing mine or make him sleep in the lounge. Since I’d talked him into being here rather than his, I decided the least I could do is let him sleep in my room.  
Except I didn't think what effect it would have on my sleeping ability.  
I sigh, frustrated at not being able to sleep. Sure, I’m tired. My eyes are sore the way they get when I am exhausted. But can I sleep? _Nope_.  
“Erin?” He whispers, & I jump a little since it's pitch black in here. “Are you okay?”  
“No,” I whisper back.  
“What's wrong?”  
I roll over & flick on the lamp- both of us squinting at the sudden flood of light. I nervously lick my lip when I see that he's shirtless- something I hadn't seen him do earlier.  
“Erin.”  
“Hmmm?” I ask, snapping my eyes to meet his.  
“What's going on?”  
“I can't sleep.”  
He smiles slightly. “I can see that.”  
I sigh. “It's torturing me.”  
He frowns. “What is?”  
“Having you…” I sigh. “Having you sleeping there. So close, yet so far.”  
He smirks.  
“What?”  
“I hate it too,” He replies. “All I want is to hold you again. Have you fall asleep in my arms.”  
I swallow the lump in my throat. “So… Why don't you?”  
He raises an eyebrow. “Seriously?”  
I slowly nod. “We both want it,” I reply. “What's the point in torturing ourselves by staying apart, when we both want to be next to each other?”  
He nods. He then pushes back the covers & gets up. He steps over to me as I roll onto my back, giving him enough space to get in. He settles on his side, facing me, & I turn onto my side. We lie there, staring at each other, neither of us touching the other. But it all gets too much- I lean in, lightly pressing my lips against his. He eagerly reciprocates, his left hand coming up to cup my cheek, & I find that we both roll until I’m lying on top of him. He wraps his other arm around me, pulling me tight against him, & I find myself starting to rub my hips against his.  
But something makes me pull back, breaking our kiss.  
“Erin?” He asks, frowning.  
“I… I can't.”  
“Wha-”  
“As much as I’ve missed you, I can't,” I reply. “I can't just go rushing back into this.”  
He nods, his thumb lightly brushing my cheek bone. “I understand.”  
“You… You do?”  
He nods. “There's a need to rebuild the trust,” He says. “I will go at whatever pace you want us to go at. As long as I get to be around you.”  
I smile, my heart melting. He loosens his arm, letting me slip off him. I snuggle up against his side, resting my head on his chest as my right leg slips over his. He drapes his arm around me, holding me close & pulls the covers up further. He kisses my forehead.  
“Goodnight, Erin,” he whispers, lips brushing my forehead.  
“Goodnight, Jay,” I whisper back.  
I fall asleep almost instantly. _This is a good start_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So things are slowly getting back on track for Erin & Jay… How long will it take for her to trust him again?


	63. Stay Tonight (Without You I Could Never Survive)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Erin tries to slow things between her & Jay, she finds herself fighting her feelings. Jay's bold romantic gesture has a positive outcome. Meanwhile, Ned struggles with letting Erin go & the demons he has over a big secret.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Jay & Erin again makes me happy. I hated splitting them up, but once I commit to a storyline, I have a tendency to stick to it. And just as agonising is what I have planned with Ned. I'm a sucker for writing angsty fics... Anyway, long chapter here!

I stir, convinced I had dreamed last night. I open my eyes, met by the sight of my bedroom. _Definitely a dream._

I’m lying on my front, arms tucked under my pillow. My bed shifts behind me & I feel his hand slide along the width of the small of my back. I lift my head & turn it to face the other way, instantly met by his sleepy face as I rest my head back down.

“Hey,” He softly says.

“Hey,” I softly reply.

“Sleep better?”

I nod, closing my eyes. I’m surprised when I feel his lips press mine, & I lean into him, eagerly kissing him back.

He pulls back, breaking our kiss. He sits up slightly, shifting to hover over me & I wonder if he wants to make love. He bends down, pushing aside the loose fitting sleeve of my shirt & kisses my right shoulder. I moan, feeling his front press against my back, his hands agonisingly close to my sides. He then turns his focus to my left, pushing aside my sleeve. I wait for the kisses, but… Nothing.

“When did you get that?” He asks.

“Get what?” I mumble.

“The tattoo.”

“Uh… The week after you left.”

“Huh,” He mumbles, before kissing my left shoulder.

“Stop,” I moan.

I feel the tug of his lips as he smiles against my shoulder.

“Why?” He asks.

“Because a part of me wants you inside me right now,” I reply. “And I don't think I'm ready to go there yet.”

He pushes his hips down, pushing them against my butt, & I bite my bottom lip hard to suffocate the moan.

“Would it be so bad if we did?” He asks, his breath tickling my ear.

“What happened to you taking it at my pace?”

“Just trying to test the limits,” He says. “You want more than you’re willing to take.”

“Just because I let you back into my bed, doesn't mean you can fast track things.”

He slips his hand between my legs & rubs his hand over my undies, making me moan.

“Soooo not fair!” I say, fighting more moans.

“Just give in, babe,” he whispers. “Let me show you how much I love you.”

I sigh. “It's not that easy.”

He sighs, resting his forehead on my right shoulder in defeat.

“I just need some time,” I tell him.

He nods. He then rolls off me, sighing as he rolls onto his back, his eyes closing. I shift closer, cupping his face with my right hand & turn his face to me.

“I want us to work,” I tell him. “But I can't fall back into how it was.”

He nods. “I know,” He replies. “I shouldn't be pushing you. I’ve just missed you so much.”

“I’ve missed you too,” I reply. “And when the time is right, we’ll go there. I promise.”

He nods.

****

“Good sleep?” Paige asks over the top of her coffee mug, as Jay & I enter the kitchen.

“Nothing happened,” I reply, giving her a glare.

“Okay,” She replies, setting her mug down. “So how come he made the move into your bed, then?”

I nearly drop my plate. “How did you…”

She shrugs, giving me a smirk. “I may have… Peeked in earlier.”

“ _Paige_!”

“What?”

“Boundaries,” I reply. “Learn them.”

“Awww, is it _really_ that bad?” Jay asks, wrapping his arms around me. “She's just happy to see you so happy.”

I lean back, relaxing against him as we sway. I close my eyes as I turn my head slightly, resting it against his.

“It's too early for PDAs,” Tyler says.

I open my eyes, seeing my baby brother standing at the end of the bench.

“Suck it up, Gertie,” I reply.

“They're so cute!” Paige says.

Tyler grunts before passing Jay & I. We go about getting our breakfasts. Aaron comes through from the bedrooms.

“Morning all,” He says.

“Morning,” We all say in unison.

“Aer, Felicity’s awake.”

I nod. “I’ll go get her.”

“Stay,” Jay replies. “I’ll go.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods. “As long as you don't mind,” He replies. “I know that we're… Still working things out.”

I smile. “I’m not going to hold you back from bonding with Felicity.”

He smiles, kissing my cheek before heading through to the bedrooms.

“So…” Aaron says. “You two…”

“Don't.”

“What? I’m happy for you.”

“I get enough from her,” I reply, pointing my knife at Paige.

“So how much does he know?” She asks. “About what happened in the fortnight.”

I sigh. “Just that I have a tattoo.”

She nods. “Are you going to tell him about the rest?” She asks. She leans in. “About you-know-who? And the you-know-what?”

The last question makes Aaron & Tyler frown in confusion.

“I haven't decided yet,” I reply.

She nods. “You won't be able to hide it from him forever.”

“I know,” I reply. “I just wanna… Figure things out with him first.”

“As she should,” Aaron replies.

****

I walk into _Harold's_ to grab us some drinks, having left Felicity  & Jay near the lake.

“Hey,” Ned says behind me, as I’m getting the drinks out of the fridge.

I turn to look at him. “Hey.”

“How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“I'm good too.”

“That's good.”

He nods. “How's Jay?”

I frown. “How did you…?”

“Paige mentioned he was awake.”

“Of _course_ ,” I reply, rolling my eyes.

“So… How is he?”

“He's doing well.”

“That's good.”

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “He's actually outside with Felicity right now.”

He looks surprised. “Oh.”

“So… I should get these & go.”

“Of course,” He says.

I head for the counter, noticing he’s following. I hand the money over to the staff member & turn to him as I wait for my change.

“Is there something else you wanted?” I ask.

“Thought I might walk you out.”

“No.”

“No?” He raises an eyebrow.

I sigh. “He doesn't know about us.”

He smirks. “Oh, _really_?”

“Don't be smug,” I reply. “I will tell him.”

I turn & get my change, put it away & scoop up my drinks.

“But you haven't yet,” He replies, following me to the door.

“It's not like I’ve had the opportunity to,” I reply, struggling to juggle the drinks & opening the door.

He opens it for me, holding it open so I can step out first.

“So you break up with him over him hiding the fact that he's married,” He replies, following me out. “Yet you’re hiding the fact that we’ve had hot sex for pretty much the _entire_ time that he's been gone. _Including_ when Mark was trying to get you to come see him at the station.”

“What's your point?” I ask, turning to face him at the corner of _Harold's_ near the lake.

He shrugs. “Just pointing out you have a double standard.”

“I’m going to tell him,” I reply. “There's just a lot of more important things happening right now.”

“Okay.”

****

“Let's go see what's taking your mum so long,” I tell her, scooping her up.

I head for _Harold's_ , looking at Felicity as we go.

“Mummy!” She squeals.

I look ahead, seeing Erin standing near the corner of _Harold's_. She turns around, facing back the way she came. A young man steps up,  & I watch them talking. I take a few steps forward, planning on walking up to them, but falter when it occurs to me the man is vaguely familiar.

It all comes crashing back- why he seems familiar, & I continue towards them as I protectively place my right hand on Felicity's back. I _need_ to get Erin away from _him_. But he sees me coming.

“I’ll see you later,” he says to Erin.

She nods. “Sure,” She replies. “Bye.”

“Bye,” He replies, before heading towards the hotel.

Erin turns around just as I approach. “Hey.”

“Who was that?” I ask, nodding towards the man.

“Uh… That was Ned.”

“Ned?” _You know him?!_

She nods. “Paige's half brother.”

I close my eyes. _This just got a whole lot more complicated_.

“Are you okay?”

I open my eyes. “Yeah, why?”

“You just seem… Tense.”

“It's… Nothing.”

“You sure?”

I nod. “Why don't we head back to the lake?” I ask, before looking at Felicity. “I’m sure the ducks are still there.”

“Ducks!” Felicity excitedly replies.

“Yeah, ducks!” I reply.

I turn towards the lake as Erin steps up to my right side. We head off & I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her in & kissing her temple.

****

Mark & Aaron arrive home just as Erin’s giving Felicity her bath.

“Hey,” Aaron says to me.

“Hey, mate,” Mark says.

“Hey,” I reply as I get up off the couch. I walk over to them as they go into the kitchen. “Can I ask you two something?”

“Sounds serious,” Aaron replies, getting drinks out of the fridge for him & Mark.

“You're not… Intending on asking us for our blessing for you to ask our sister for her hand in marriage…” Mark replies. He raises his eyebrow slightly. “Are you?”

“No,” I reply. “I mean, one day, maybe, yeah… But not for a while. We’re still getting back together & then there's my divorce…”

Mark nods, taking his drink from Aaron. “So… What's on your mind?”

“I need your advice.”

“On?” Aaron asks, as Mark takes a sip of his drink.

“I… I wanna do something for Erin,” I reply, leaning on the counter. “We both want to be together, & yet… She's holding back. I understand why, but…” I sigh. “After _everything_ we’ve been through, I thought I should do something special for her.”

“But you don't know what,” Aaron replies.

I nod. “Yeah,” I reply. “She's really close with both of you. So I was wondering if you two had any suggestions on what I could do.”

“Well, uhh…” Aaron replies. “It depends on how big you wanna go. You thinking like a romantic dinner?”

I think it over. “I was thinking… Taking her away for a night or two.”

Both raise their eyebrows.

“Too big?”

“Maybe,” Mark replies.

“I'm not so sure,” Aaron says. “Looking at your history, it takes something big for her to admit the depth of her feelings.” He rests his forearms on the bench. “She's oblivious & stubborn about her feelings. And I know where she gets it from,” He adds, tilting his head to Mark.

Mark turns & glares at him. “So taking her away this soon isn't too much too soon?”

“Too soon? Maybe,” Aaron replies. “Too big? I don’t think we’ll find the limit.”

“So… What do you think I should do?”

Aaron lightly taps Mark’s arm. “Remember when we were younger, she loved it when we went camping,” Aaron says. “Even if it was just setting up a tent in our backyard.”

“Yeah, but she's grown up since then,” Mark replies. “Do you really think she'll go for it now?”

“I _was_ thinking more like what you did with Paige,” Aaron replies. “More stylish than sleeping bags. You know, big tent with a bed. They call it ‘glamping’.”

I nod. “Sounds like a good idea,” I reply. “I’ll look into it. Thanks.”

Aaron smiles. “You're welcome.”

****

**Two evenings later…**

“Mummy!” Felicity says as I close the front door, having been at work. I’ve been working now that Jay is out of hospital.

“Hey baby!” I reply, turning to her as she waddles over from the doorway into the bedrooms. I scoop her up, smothering her face with kisses making her giggle. “Did you have a good day?”

“Ya!”

“Ah, good! You're home,” Mark says, emerging from the bedrooms.

“Hi to you too,” I reply.

“Sorry. Hi,” He says, stepping over. “But you don't have much time.”

I frown. “What? Why?”

He pulls out his mobile, unlocks it & then turns it to me. There's a video ready to go on the screen- of Jay. Mark plays it.

“Hey, Erin!” Jay says, giving me a little wave. Felicity waves back & I laugh. “Sorry I’m not there, but I’m busy organising the last few things. I’ve organised for us to go out tonight. So go get ready- wear something a little dressy, but nothing too fancy, & I’ll be there when you're done… Hopefully.”

It ends, & I look at Mark. He smirks.

“You better get going.”

I pass Felicity to him, giving her a quick kiss before heading to the bathroom.

****

I pull into their driveway & turn off the engine. I’m getting out as I stare up at the decking, smiling as I see she's descending the stairs. I close my car door, jogging up the rest of the drive. She smiles at me as she stops on the landing, & I smile as I stop a few steps from the bottom of the stairs. Her hair is lightly curled, framing her face as it cascades down & over her shoulders. She's wearing a plain violet top, under a deep purple leather jacket & a dark green maxi skirt that hugs her hips but flows the rest of the way to her feet. The look is finished off with her favourite brown boots, her handbag, & her favourite necklaces, as well as her favourite bracelet, which I can see peeking out of her jacket’s left sleeve.

“What do you think?” She asks, before twirling- the movement causing her skirt to lift.

She stops after a few rotations, her skirt swirling back & forth. She smiles, blushing when she sees the way I’m looking at her. _My beautiful angel_.

“I love it,” I reply.

Her smile grows. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” I reply. “Though I was expecting you to wear that gorgeous purple number you wore for the singing competition.”

She blushes as she steps over to me.

“Well,” She replies, placing her hand on my right shoulder. She slowly slides it down onto my chest as she continues, “I would have, but I wore that when we…” She tilts her head, giving me a seductive look.

“Is that you saying we’ll have a repeat of then?”

She smirks. “Depends on how well you go at wooing me.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Are you setting up a challenge?”

“Do you want it to be?”

I swallow the lump in my throat. She steps closer as she places her other hand on my chest & I rest my hands on her hips. She rolls onto her tip-toes & presses her lips to mine. I pull her closer, wrapping my arms around her as she slides hers around my neck. She moans as I tighten my arms, pulling her tighter against me, & I want her _so bad_.

“I want you,” I whisper, resting my forehead on hers. “I want to take you home & make love to you.”

She pulls back far enough to look me in the eyes, flashing me a seductive look. “Good thing my bedroom is just up there,” She replies, tilting her head towards her home.

I groan, resting my forehead on hers again. “Don't toy with me.”

“I’m trying to tell you, tonight…” She says. She rubs her forehead against mine & sighs. “I may find that moment… To go there.”

“Well,” I reply, sliding my hand up her back. “We better get going then.”

“Mmmmhmmm,” She replies, pushing her hips forward.

I bend forward as she does, groaning as I resist the urge, the need to make love to her.

“Don't,” I groan.

“Don't what?” She quietly replies.

I growl as I step back, letting her go. I turn, taking several steps towards my car as I cover my face with my hands. I hear the click of her boots as she walks closer. I drop my hands as she places her hand on my back, sliding it over my right shoulder as she steps past me.

“We better get going, then,” She replies, looking back at me as she continues past me, letting her hand drop from me. She turns to face me, walking backwards as she adds, “Before you lose control.”

I bite back another groan & she smirks. I shake my head, watching as she fights back a giggle as I head for the driver's side of my car. My eyes never leave her as I walk, watching as she turns, biting her lip seductively. She then walks towards the front passenger door.

****

We settle in his car, buckling our seatbelts & then he hands me a blindfold.

“Put this on,” He says, holding it out to me.

I give him my ‘are you serious?’ look.

“Where we’re going is a surprise,” He says. “Can you please put this on?”

I think about it for a moment. “Fine,” I reply. “But if we get pulled over, & the police question why I have it on, you're on your own with explaining it.”

He smirks. “Worth the risk.”

I put it on, making sure it's snugly on.

“Can you see what I’m doing?” He asks.

“You better not get handsy with me,” I reply.

There's a pause, & I know he's smirking. “Let me have _some_ fun.”

“Don't you _dare_!”

He chuckles. The engine comes on & he reverses, making me clutch the armrest on the door. This is scarier than I thought…

****

“Hey,” Paige says, emerging from the bedrooms. Mark & I look at her. “Have either of you two seen Erin?”

“Not for a while,” Mark replies. “Why?”

“Let me rephrase that,” She replies. “Do either of you know where she is?”

He nods. “She's gone camping.”

Paige raises an eyebrow. “ _Camping_?”

I walk behind her, pausing to lean over her shoulder as I say, “Note who else is missing.”

She thinks as I head for the fridge.

“Oh my _god_! You helped set her up on a romantic trip with Jay?!”

“You married a smart cookie,” I say, jokingly to Mark.

“Don't talk about me like I’m not here,” She replies, scowling.

“Jay wanted our opinion about doing something special for Erin,” Mark says. “He was thinking out taking her away for a night or two, & Aaron suggested a romantic camping trip.”

Paige looks at me, raising an eyebrow. “Wow!” She replies. “What a romantic!”

I shrug. “She's been through a lot. They both love each other. And it's clear that they both need time away from the street in order to reconnect.”

“Awww!” She replies. “It's nice to see you helping your little sister like that. At least one of us gets to help that romance…”

“You try to help but it's too intense. You gotta do it more subtly.”

She looks shocked, & opens her mouth to hit back, but Mark gets in first.

“Yeah, like planning it behind her back,” Mark adds.

Paige looks surprised. “Erin doesn't know?”

“She knows they're going out,” I reply. “Just not… _where_.”

“ _Awww_! I wish I could see her face when she sees it!”

“Too bad you can't,” Mark teases.

****

“Two more steps,” He says, as I grip his hand tightly.

We’ve been driving for some time, & I know we’re somewhere out of the city since I stopped hearing cars & other suburban noises a while ago. He hasn't allowed me to take off the blindfold, even after we arrived here.

I tentatively take two more steps, bringing my feet side by side, still holding his hand tightly.

“You can let go of my hand,” he says.

“Not until I can take this blindfold off!”

He chuckles. “Well, you can now.”

I let go of his hand. I lift my hands up, slipping my thumbs under the bottom of the blindfold, my fingers grabbing the top, & lift it up my head. I squint, struggling with the sudden light, as I pull the blindfold all the way off. I lower my hands, the blindfold clutched in my right hand. Once my eyes have adjusted, the scenery in front of us comes into focus & I gasp.

Sitting a little over a metre from us is a stunning, large white tent. I can see a campfire already set up, waiting to be lit.

“You like it?” He asks.

“It's beautiful,” I reply.

He wraps an arm around my waist as he steps behind me. “Just like you,” He whispers, pulling back my hair to expose the left side of my neck. He kisses it & I happily sigh as I lean back against him.

“This is a lovely surprise,” I say, closing my eyes.

“Good,” he replies.

We stand there for a while, enjoying being like this. Eventually, he lets go as he takes my hand.

“I want you to see the rest,” He says, leading me over to the tent.

As we approach, I can see the amazing view beyond the tent. We’re on a rise, the landscape fairly flat for as far as I can see, except for a bunch of mountains near the horizon. I gasp.

“Amazing view!”

He smiles. “Perfect, right?”

I look at him. “How did you…?”

“I have a friend who owns a winery,” He replies. “This is part of the estate.”

I smile. “You’ve really put a lot of effort into this.”

He raises his eyebrow. “Were you not expecting me to?”

“I…” I reply. “Wasn't expecting it to be…”

He pulls me in, his free hand wrapping around my waist.

“You're worth it,” He whispers, letting go of my hand to cup my cheek before he kisses me.

****

Jay insists I sit & relax while he unpacks the car. I do… Until I realise I have no clothes. I cross to his car as he’s busy getting something out of the boot.

“I just realised I have no-” I reply, stepping over, cutting off when he turns to me with two bags, one of which is my overnight bag. I smile. “You packed for me.”

He nods. “Indeed I did,” He replies. He smirks. “Though I doubt you’ll need the clothes.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Is that so?”

He nods as he drops the bags. He steps closer. “Ah huh,” he mutters, cupping my face.

He pulls me in, his lips grazing mine before he deepens the kiss.

****

We sit & watch the sunset. I’m between his legs, my back against his chest, his arms around me with our hands entwined. I tilt my head back, resting it on his shoulder as I close my eyes.

“What are you thinking?” He asks.

“Just how good this is,” I reply, eyes still closed. “Getting away from it all.”

“I thought it would be good for us to escape the drama,” He replies.

“Genius.”

He chuckles. He kisses my cheek, his lips brushing my skin when he whispers, “I love you.”

I tense up. _Am I ready to tell him it back?_

“You don't have to say it back,” he says, lips still brushing my skin. “I’m not going to pressure you into it. I just want you to know that's how I feel.”

I open my eyes & turn to him, lifting my head slightly. It comes out so easily- “I love you too.”

He tries fighting the smile, but he gives in. He closes the gap & kisses me. We rest our foreheads against each other.

“I’m glad we found our way back to each other,” He says.

“Me too,” I reply. “I’m sorry I pushed you away instead of talking things through.”

“Don't,” He whispers. “You did what anyone would do with your history. I don't blame you. Not as much as I blame myself for not being upfront with you.”

I sigh. “You wouldn't be so quick to say that if you knew what I’ve done the last couple of weeks.”

He pulls back, frowning. “What?”

And I can't bring myself to tell him I spent most of the time he was away sleeping with Ned in a twisted attempt to rebound from him. He should know, I just can't bring myself to say it right now. Not when I finally have him back. Not when I _just_ have him back.

“Erin?”

I shake my head, fighting back tears. “I can't tell you,” I reply. “Not right now.”

He nods. “You can open up to me later,” He replies. “When the time is right.”

I swallow the lump in my throat & nod.

“But this trip isn't about the past,” He says. “It's about the future.”

****

After dinner, we sit & talk by the fire. The more we talk, the more I realise how much I’ve missed him- the flirting, his dorky-adorableness, the way his eyes light up when talking about something he’s passionate about, the way he listens to every word I say, his interest in not just me but Felicity… But above it all, I’ve missed his smile. His infectious laugh. _Him_.

“I’m gonna go get another drink,” He says, snapping me from my thoughts. “Want one?”

I nod. “Yes, please.”

“Coming right up, m’lady,” he replies, giving me a little bow.

I laugh & he grins as he turns & heads for the esky. I’ve missed being with him. Making love with him. Getting into what I had with Ned was a bad choice. I mean, Ned is great, but… He will never replace Jay. Despite all my hesitations over diving in too fast with Jay again, I can't keep pushing the brakes on us. The more I fight my feelings for him, the harder I fall for him. I wasted too much time the first time before taking that step. Just like Jay said, this is us putting the past in the past- & focus on the future.

 _And my future is with him_.

I can see that now. I’m his & he’s mine. And it all clicks.

 _This is the right time_.

I get up as he lifts the lid to the esky, & cross to him. He turns to me as I approach, arms banding round my waist instinctively as I place my hands on the back of his head & pull him into me, lips crashing together. He pulls me flush against him, both of us moaning.

“Make love to me,” I whisper, resting my forehead against his.

“Are you sure?” He whispers back. “I don't think I could stand it if you change your mind once we go in there.”

“No, I’m sure,” I reply. “I want you.”

He nods, reaching up towards my arms. He pulls them down, slipping his hand into mine, before stepping around me. I turn turn around as he passes me, letting him lead me inside our large tent. He unhooks the flap, closing it & hooks it shut. We take off our shoes, socks & jackets. He steps closer & cups my cheeks, pressing his lips against mine. We continue to kiss as he walks me backwards, to stand beside the bed. He pulls back long enough to pull my top over my head, tossing it aside as he kisses me again. I unbutton his shirt, sliding my hands up from his abdomen to his shoulders, & push his shirt down his arms. He growls when forced to let go of me so I can pull it all the way off. As soon as his hands are free, he grabs my hips, yanking me so hard against him I moan. His hands slide up my back as mine slide into his hair. He presses me against him, leaving no space between us as we kiss.

I don't notice him unzip my maxi skirt until its slipping down my legs, pooling at my feet. He slides his hand between my thighs, rubbing over my undies & I gasp. I want him so bad, I could come right there.

He lifts me up, my legs wrapping around his hips, & he turns as we continue to kiss. He steps over to the bed, lying me on my back. He grinds his hips against mine, both groaning as intense pleasure shoots through us. He pulls back, making a trail of kisses down my chest & I lower my legs. He reaches the top of my undies, rubbing me again, making me arch my back as I gasp. He pulls my undies off as I recover. He runs his tongue through my folds, & I close my eyes. I lift my hips, trying to get his lips on my clit, but he pushes my hips back down. He licks me again, his fingers sliding just far enough inside to make me moan. And then he goes for my clit, sucking on it before flicking it with the tip of his tongue.

“OH _GOD_!” I exclaim, fingers digging into his scalp.

I see stars as I orgasm, feeling him continue to lick me as I come down. I pull him up, bringing his lips to mine. I reach down, unbuckling his belt before swiftly unbuttoning & unzipping his jeans. I push his jeans & briefs down, & he wiggles them off before kicking them away. I take hold of his member, sliding my hand up its length & flick the tip with my thumb. He moans, his arms trembling & for a second I wonder if he’ll collapse on top of me.

He leans down & kisses my neck, making his way down my body to my bra, which is the last bit of clothing. He hooks his arm under me, easily flipping us so I’m straddling him, agonisingly close to having him inside me. His hands slide up my back as we kiss, unhooks my bra, pulling it off & tossing it aside. He flips us again. He pushes inside, easily sliding into me & we both sigh contentedly. He pushes all the way in & I wrap my legs around his waist. We lie there, bodies millimetres apart with him deep in me, both of us revelling in this moment. He shifts his hips back, pulling out of me a little, before thrusting hard. I gasp, seeing stars.

He kisses my neck as he thrusts more gently. I lift my hips & he moans. I pull his head up, bringing his lips to meet mine, needing his kiss as he thrusts. He reaches down, rubbing his right thumb over my clit & I moan loudly into his mouth. That tips me over the edge, & I break our kiss to cry out as my orgasm hits. He thrust harder as I’m coming down, desperate to reach his own, & I dig my fingers into his back, sliding down his back from the force of his thrusts.

He growls, frustrated, & grabs a pillow. He hooks his left arm under me, lifting me up just high enough to push the pillow under me. The new position & his hard thrusts causes another orgasm, one that has me shaking a lot. His hits just as I’m coming down, & he collapses against me. I slide my right hand into his hair, resting my left on his back as I relax my legs.

****

**The next morning…**

I wake to find her not curled up against my side, & I fear that I’ve dreamt the last few days. I look to my right, smiling as I see her. She's lying on her back, arms draped up over the pillow, her body covered only by the sheet. She looks so peaceful. And happy. She's smiling a little, & I wonder what she's dreaming of. _You're so beautiful_.

I turn on my side, sliding my left hand over her stomach. I slide up, cupping her right breast, squeezing & kneading it. She moans, arching her back slightly, pushing herself into my touch. I slide my hand to her left breast, playing with it the same way & she pushes herself into my touch even more. Turned on, I slide my hand down her stomach, rotating my hand so my fingers slide over her sex. She gasps as my fingers touch her. Smirking, I rub my hand back & forth, lightly kneading the heel of my palm on her clit.

****

I moan as I stir, heat spreading from my core. _But surely it's just a reaction to my dream… Right?_

I feel fingers slide into me, & I gasp as my eyes open. Through heavy eyes, I see Jay lying next to me, the sheet draped over his lower half, his left hand under the sheet as he strokes his right through my hair. I arch my back, his fingers pushing deeper into me & I moan. He smirks as he leans in & claims my lips. I place my hands on his chest & push him back as I roll, making him lie on his back as I straddle him. He flicks my clit with his thumb, making me gasp & see stars, before he slides his fingers out of me.

I reach between my legs & take him, rubbing up & down, making him moan & jerk his hips. I continue until I’m satisfied that I have him at my mercy, before holding him up so I can slide him into me. I sigh contentedly as he fills me, slowly sinking all the way down his length.

I ride him, lifting my hips up & down as I balance myself by placing my hands on his chest. He reaches up, squeezing my breasts & I moan. The closer I come to my orgasm, his hands slide down to my hips. He digs his fingers into my skin, forcing my hips down harder & we both moan. I lift my hips up & he does it again, pushing me down hard. I lean forward, sliding my hands up to his shoulders as I lift my hips. He looks at me & smirks. He holds my hips even tighter, & clenches his jaw as he uses all his strength to slam me down. I scream, seeing stars & feeling like the world is spinning so fast as I orgasm. He groans as his hits & I collapse onto his chest, both of us panting as we come down.

****

“You're up early,” I hear Paige say, as I stretch at the top of my driveway.

I look up, finding her standing near by, breathing heavily from her run.

“What I get for not being able to sleep,” I reply.

She nods. “What's on you mind?” She asks as she steps closer.

“You don't need to know my problems.”

“I find that, when something is troubling me enough that I can't sleep,” She replies. “It means I need to talk to someone about it. So… Spill.”

I sigh. “It's complicated.”

“My whole life is complicated,” She replies. “So how about you quit dodging & tell me what's going on?”

I sigh. “How do you deal with knowing you came close to having a future with someone, only to have it shoved in your face that they're happier with someone else?”

“You just gotta pick yourself up, & find a way to keep yourself distracted long enough not to wallow in self pity so you can move on,” She replies.

“Easier said than done…”

She gapes. “Oh my _god_!”

“What?” I ask, stretching.

“You're in love with _her_!”

“What? Who?”

“Oh, don't go playing the idiot, Ned!” She replies. “You know who I’m talking about!”

“ _Exactly_ why I _didn't_ want to tell you!” I reply. “I can't have her. It's like I’m punishing myself for messing things up between Dad  & Lauren last time I was here by doing the _exact_ same thing. The only difference is she's more my age.” I shrug. “But it doesn't matter. The outcome is still the same.”

“And I’m assuming she has no clue how you feel,” She replies. “She's pretty easy to read…”

“Don't mention it to her.”

“Why not?”

“Uh… Cause it won't change anything,” I reply. “She's in love with that singer guy.”

“And you don't think she deserves to know how you feel?”

“She didn't want to be with me,” I reply. “She was sleeping with me to get over him.”

“You should tell her.”

I shake my head. “It's only going to make things worse.”

She narrow her eyes. “What?”

“She'll find out something else that I don't want her to know,” I mutter.

“What have you done?”

I shake my head.

“Ned,” She says. “Tell me.”

I look at her. “It's better in the long run if you don't know.”

She looks confused. I step past her & jog off.

****

He lazily traces patterns on my back & presses a kiss to my forehead.

“I want to wake you up like that every morning,” he whispers against my forehead.

“You can't make me scream like that when we're home,” I reply.

I can feel his lips tug as he smiles. “Maybe that's the incentive for you to move in with me.”

I push myself up & look at him, shocked.

“Too soon?”

I smile a little. “Yeah.”

He sighs. “I keep putting on the breaks with us, because I know you want that, but…” He sighs again. “I can't help how I feel about you, Erin. Every time I try to fight it, I find myself falling even more in love with you. I want to be with you. And I have a home that I keep picturing sharing with you & Felicity. It's too empty without you.” He licks his lips, running his hand through my hair. “I can't see my future without you in it. I need you in my life… And in my arms.”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “It's a big step.”

He nods. “I know,” he whispers.

“I want to be with you too. I wouldn't be here if I didn't.”

“Oh, I hope you wouldn't use me like that.”

I chuckle. “Of course I wouldn't,” I reply. “As much as I have strong feelings for you… And I want to go with it without thinking…”

“You can't,” He says, looking away from me.

“I need to think about it.”

He looks at me. “Better than what I was expecting.”

“I know I keep slowing us down, but…” I sigh. “It's not fair on you.”

He shakes his head. “I would wait forever,” he says. “As long as I get to spend any amount of time with you.”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?” He replies, smirking.

“Being so damn understanding when I keep stopping us.”

“I want you to be happy,” He replies. “And if that means giving you time to sort things out… So be it.”

I smile, fighting back tears.

“You're beautiful,” He says, brushing tears off my cheeks. “Even when you're crying.”

“No I’m not.”

“You are,” he replies. “Cause I get to comfort you, & make the pain go away.”

“Oh, fuck you.”

He smirks. “Gladly.”

He thrusts his hips, still in me, & I gasp, seeing stars as I jolt forward, lips crashing into his. I moan, pushing my chest against his. I subconsciously rock my hips, grinding against his & he groans. He rocks his hips, gently thrusting into me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin & Jay have taken the next step in reuniting… But Ned & Jay are at odds. What has happened to make Jay so fiercely protective of Erin? And will it tear him & Erin apart? Also, will Jay find out Erin had a rebound with Ned?


	64. No More Lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romance is strong in the Brennan household. But just as Erin & Jay are getting back on track, each hold a secret that is as dangerous to their unsteady relationship as the others. They make the promise to be honest- no more lies- unaware that each hold big secrets that can tear them apart.

We spend most of the day at the tent, before packing up & leaving in the mid afternoon. I can't keep my eyes off him the whole way home. At one point, he gets into the music playing, tapping the steering wheel as he quietly sings along to the song. I grab my mobile, snapping several photos & a couple of videos. He glances over while I’m filming him & smiles as he shakes his head.

****

“Tyler!” She calls.

I push out from under a car, biting back a groan when her bare legs come into view. I slowly drag my eyes up her body, taking in her school uniform before meeting her eyes. I grin at her as she walks over to me.

“Wanna join me down here?”

She raises her eyebrow. “And get my uniform covered in grease?” She replies. “I’ll pass.”

“Fine,” I reply. “Then take one more step forward.”

She crosses her arms. “Why?”

“Isn't it obvious?” I ask, before glancing down at the hem of her skirt.

I meet her eyes just as it hits her what I mean, & she looks appalled.

“What? Can't I appreciate how much I love my girlfriend?”

“You're at work,” She replies. “What if a customer comes in & finds you staring up my skirt? You’ll look like a pervert.”

“You better hurry up & let me do it while no one is here then,” I cheekily reply.

She rolls her eyes, turning & heading to the desk. I get to my feet & follow her.

“I was hoping you’d be able to walk me home,” She says, dumping her schoolbag beside the desk.

“You're sixteen, not five,” I reply. “Why do you want me to walk you home?”

“So I can spend time with my handsome boyfriend who I’ve missed all day,” She replies, half sitting on the edge of the desk.

I look at the time- Mark & Aaron will still be working, Paige is having a day out with the twins… So the house will be empty. I look at Piper.

“How about I close up & we head back to mine?” I ask.

“Yours is empty, isn't it?”

I nod as I lean in. I pause as my lips are close to hers. “Absolutely,” I whisper, before kissing her.

“Well,” She replies. “You better close up.”

****

“Stop!” I protest as he presses himself against my back as I chop up fruit.

“Why?” He replies, wrapping his arms around me.

“Cause it's turning me on.”

“Is it?” He whispers, before pushing his hips forward.

I moan & he chuckles. His right hand slides between my legs & I jump.

“Tyler!” I exclaim, stepping out of his arms.

When I turn to him, he's smirking as he turns & leans his back against the kitchen bench. He’d closed the garage early & drove us to his place, where we’d gone straight into his room & made love. We’d come out to get a snack- he’d thrown on pants, while I’d thrown on my undies & his shirt.

“I can't help it if I want you,” he replies.

“Well, keep your hands… & the rest of you to yourself,” I reply, waving the knife around. “At least while we're out here.”

“Firstly,” he replies, stepping over to me cautiously. “Let's put this down,” he adds, as he slowly takes the knife from me. He puts it down on the bench & turns back to me. “We're alone. And I’m in love with you.”

“You share this house with your three siblings, my sister, your two nieces & your nephew,” She replies. “Any combination of them could walk through that door & see us. That's not an image I want _anyone_ to see.”

He frowns. “You're ashamed of having my family see me hold you?”

“Nooooo,” I reply. “I don't want them seeing us go _more_ than hugging.”

He raises his eyebrow. “Is that so?” He asks, hands resting on my hips.

“Yes.”

“Ah huh,” He replies. “So… What if I did… This?”

He lifts me up, turning & placing me down on the bench on the other side of the stove from our fruit. He steps between my legs, hands settling on my hips as my arms wrap around his neck.

“Cheeky,” I reply.

“Mmmm. Not the choice of words I’d pick.”

“Naughty.”

“Ooo close.”

“Very naughty.”

He smirks. “Warmer.”

“Extremely naughty,” I reply. “My bad, bad boy.”

He smiles. “Only for you,” He replies, closing the gap & kissing me.

I push myself against him & moan into his mouth. His hands slide down to my thighs, fingers slipping under the edge of his shirt. His hands slide up my thighs, heading for my butt.

“Urgh! It's too early for PDAs!”

We break apart, turning to the front door- Erin & Jay are standing just inside, the door still open.

“It's like… five p.m.”

“ _Exactly_ , Gertie,” Erin replies, pointing a finger at him. She then looks at me. “You might wanna go get dressed, Pipes. If Paige sees you like that, she'll be all over you two with the annoying comments. I don't want you enduring it.”

I nod. “Sure.”

Tyler steps back & I slip off the bench. I head for the bedrooms, Tyler hot on my heels.

“Oi, what about the mess?” Erin asks as we reach the doorway through.

We both stop.

“We’ll clean it up in a few minutes,” Tyler replies.

Erin rolls her eyes. “Oh, _suuuuure_ you will.”

“I promise,” he replies, nudging me forward.

****

I watch them disappear, hearing Piper’s laughter as they make their way to his room. I sigh, turning around to Jay.

“They’ll undress… Then _not_ dress for god knows how long,” I tell him. “I feel like I’m already raising a teenager.”

“Just consider it practice for when Felicity is older,” He replies, stepping closer & placing his hands on my hips.

“I’ll drive boys away from her,” I reply.

He smiles. “No you won't.”

“Uh, _yeah_.”

He leans in to kiss me, but the security door opens. We look, seeing Aaron enter with Felicity.

“Mummmyyyyy!!!” She squeals.

“Hey baby!” I reply, taking her from Aaron.

I give her a big hug & kiss her. Jay tickles her cheek & she giggles.

“How was she?” I ask Aaron.

“She was fine,” Aaron replies. “Nothing to worry about.”

“That's good.”

“I'm surprised you two didn't stay longer.”

“We would,” Jay says. “But we were missing this little one,” he adds, placing his hand on Felicity's back.

She reaches out to him. Jay looks at me, & I smile before passing her to him.

****

“Morning,” Paige says, smirking over the rim of her coffee mug as Jay & I emerge from the bedrooms.

“Morning,” I reply, making my way into the kitchen.

Jay & I go about getting our breakfast, moving around each other with ease.

“What?” I ask Paige, noticing her staring at us.

“Nothing.”

I give her a hard stare, not buying it.

“It's just… Really nice seeing you two like this again,” She replies. “Happy.”

“Thanks,” Jay replies.

“Especially after-”

“Paige,” I say, warning her.

Jay frowns. “After what?”

“After…” Paige replies. “You know.”

He looks even more confused. I glare at Paige. She looks sheepish. Jay looks at me.

“What’s she on about?” He asks.

I nervously lick my bottom lip. I place my right hand on his left shoulder from behind & he wraps his left arm around the small of my back.

“Uh… I…” I reply. “I… Had a pregnancy scare.”

His jaw drops open. “When?”

“While you were interstate,” I reply, dropping my gaze to the floor.

He rests his forehead against mine. “I’m sorry I wasn't there.”

I sigh. “That's the funny thing,” I reply. “If you were here, I may not have even had the scare.”

He lifts his head & I follow suit, seeing his frown.

“Why?”

“I was… Stressed out over breaking up with you,” I reply. “The stress played a major role in the scare.”

“Among other things,” Paige adds. “Like… All the normal signs of being pregnant. And-”

I glare at her again, knowing how close she is to revealing my relationship with Ned.

“Well,” Jay says, drawing my attention back to him. “I’m here now.”

I nod. “Indeed.”

He puts his hand under my chin, lifting my face a little before capturing my lips with his & I sigh as I lean into him.

“I’m going to go check on Felicity,” he says.

I nod. “Okay.”

I watch him leave, waiting until he’s out of earshot before I step round to her & hit her arm.

“ _Ow_!” She says, rubbing her arm where I hit her.

“What the hell was that about?” I ask. “Almost telling him about… _everything_?”

“In my defence, I thought you two had talked it over while you were away.”

“Well, we didn't.”

“Figured that out already.”

“Yeah, cause you backed me into telling him.”

She narrows her eyes. “What's so wrong about it? I thought you would want him to know you thought you were having his baby.”

“I do,” I reply. “I was just… Waiting for the right moment. There's a lot for us to work through.”

She nods. “Assuming he also doesn't know about the other big part of that time.”

“Yes,” I reply. “And I’d appreciate it if you kept out of my business.”

"Alright,” She replies. “But tell him soon. Hiding it will only make things worse when he does find out. Trust me. I learnt that the hard way.”

I nod. “I know. I will.”

****

I join Jay & Felicity for a walk at the lake before my meeting. Jay had offered to look after Felicity, & I thought it would be good for them to have as much bonding time as possible.

“What's troubling you?” He asks, Felicity in his arms as we walk along the boardwalk over the lake.

“Hmmm?”

“You’ve got those cute wrinkles between your eyebrows,” he replies. “The ones you get when you’re thinking hard.”

I smile a little. “You know me well.”

“Indeed,” he replies. “So… What's troubling you?”

I sigh, stepping into the rotunda. Jay follows as I sit down on the bench. He sits beside me, settling Felicity on his lap. I lick my lip nervously.

“After all we’ve been through, this might seem… Strange.”

“What is it?” He asks.

“I…” I sigh. “I want us to be honest with each other.”

“That's not strange at all, Erin.”

I force a smile. “I don't want us to hide anything from each other.”

He nods. “Of course.”

“I want us to be upfront with each other,” I reply. “I don't want us to be ripped apart again, the way we were.”

He takes hold on my hand. “I don't want to lose you again.”

I nod. “I don't want to lose you either.”

“So… We’re on the same page.”

“Mmm… Not quite.”

He frowns.

“There's…” I sigh. “There's something you need to know.”

He slowly nods. I can see the concern on his face… In his eyes. And this just makes things so much harder. I look at my hands.

“Hey,” He softly says. He takes my chin between his finger & thumb, lifting my head to look at him. “Talk to me, Aer.”

I hesitate, struggling to find the words. Tears sting at my eyes. “I-”

My mobile rings. And I close my eyes, cursing the timing. I dig it out of my handbag, seeing that it's Aaron.

“Hold on a sec,” I tell Jay. “I gotta get this.”

He nods. I stand, walking a bit away as I answer, bringing my mobile up to my ear.

“Hey Az,” I reply, pushing back my emotions.

“Hey… Wait… Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“You sure?” He asks. “You sound like you're upset.”

“What do you want, Az?”

“Okay, there's… An bit of a crisis,” He replies. “We need to handle it. And we need to do that as soon as possible, so… Can we bring the meeting forward?”

“How much forward?”

He hesitates. “Like… Now?”

I sigh, rubbing my free fingers over my eyes. _Damn it_.

“Aer?”

“That's fine,” I reply. “Meet you there in five?”

“Sounds good.”

“See you then,” I reply, before hanging up.

I turn & head back to Jay & Felicity, giving him a forced smile.

“Everything okay?” He asks.

I sigh. “Unfortunately, no,” I reply. “There's some crisis & Aaron wants the meeting now.”

“Oh,” He replies, & I can sense his surprise.

“So… I need to go,” I reply. “But I want to continue this later.”

He nods. “Sure.”

“I really am sorry,” I reply. “This is an important conversation. But…”

“It's fine,” he replies. “Your work is more important. So go.”

“You sure?”

He nods. “Yeah,” he replies. “We can pick this up tonight.”

I suck in a deep breath. “Yeah,” I whisper.

He gets up, supporting Felicity in one arm as he cups my cheek & frowns. “What's going on?”

I shake my head. “I can't get into it right now.”

He nods, before pressing his lips against mine. He rests his forehead on mine.

“Whatever’s troubling you, we’ll talk about it tonight.”

I nod. He kisses me again. His hand drops to my shoulder as I turn to Felicity & kiss her goodbye. I look at him & he smiles.

“No more lies,” I say.

He nods. “No more lies.”

Waving bye to Felicity, who waves back, I turn & head towards the complex across the grass. I sigh as I walk. _So close, yet… So far…_

****

I watch her walking away. I swallow hard, before nervously licking my lips. _She needs to know what I remember about Ned…_

“Bye bye,” Felicity says, pulling me from my thoughts.

“She'll be back later,” I reply. “Why don't we keep on walking, yeah?”

“Ya!” She replies, excitedly.

****

By the time we get home, Paige is home with her twins.

“Hey,” I say.

She turns to me. “Oh, hey. Nice walk?”

“Yeah,” He replies. “Uh… I need to go do something.”

“I'm happy to mind Felicity, if you want?”

I nod. “That would be good,” I reply. “Thanks.”

“Sure,” She replies. She holds out her arms as she continues, “Come here, sweetie.”

I hand Felicity over. “Thanks, Paige.”

“No worries.”

“I’ll be back soon.”

“Take your time.”

****

I cross the complex, heading to _The Waterhole_ to check in with Erin. I need to tell her what I remember. She _needs_ to know. Especially if we're going to be honest with each other, even though she should know how dangerous he can be.

I’m halfway across when I stop. I look over at the police station. I sigh. _Maybe I should tell Mark first… get legal action started. That way, Erin & Felicity are protected…_

****

“Hey,” Jay says.

I lift my head from the paperwork on the reception desk, seeing him standing on the other side.

“Hey, mate,” I reply. “What can I do for you?”

“Uh… You know you said I should come to you if I remember anything from the day of the fight?” He asks, & I note how nervous he is. “Whether I think it's relevant or not.”

“Of course,” I reply. “Do you?”

He nods. “I didn't think of it back then… But it may have been my injuries blocking it.”

I nod. “Alright,” I reply. “Why don't we head on through to the interview room, & you can tell me.”

He nods. “Sounds good.”

****

“I think that covers all of that item,” Aaron says. “Any last comments?”

Sheila, Terese, Aaron & myself are seated at a table in _The Waterhole_ , having our meeting. With the crisis dealt with, we’re making our way through the other points. Terese, Sheila & I all shake our heads.

“Good,” Aaron says. “Onto the next item.”

“You're really good at this, Az,” I reply.

He looks up from his notes & smiles.

“Incoming,” Sheila says, looking displeased. “Moneybags.”

Terese, Aaron & I look just as he steps up.

“And what's going on here?” Paul asks.

“We're going over some work stuff,” Sheila replies.

“May I join?” He asks. “I am paying all of your wages.”

We all exchange looks.

“Sure,” Aaron says.

Paul smiles, before sitting down between Terese & Aaron.

“I'm surprised to see you working, Erin,” Paul says, leaning back into his chair.

I look at him, confused. “This might come as a shock to you, Paul,” I reply. “But it's my job.”

“Oh, I don't doubt it,” He replies, smirking. “I just figured…” He shakes his head. “Nah.”

I sigh. “Whatever you want to say, just say it,” I reply. “We have a lot to get through.”

“Whatever it is, love,” Sheila says, leaning towards me a little as she gives Paul a disapproving look. “It can't be good. He gets smug when he has a devious plan in the works.”

“Ah, as much as I want to take credit for this, Sheila,” Paul replies. “I can't.”

“Spit it out, Paul,” I reply, sick of his games.

“I just… Assumed,” Paul replies, smirking again. “You’d be supporting that busker boyfriend of yours.”

I narrow my eyes at him. “What?”

He feigns shock. “I thought you would have known.”

“And what is it that I’m supposed to know?”

“I just saw your busker & your brother having a…” He pouts slightly, faking thinking. “Serious conversation at the reception desk at the station.”

Blindsided by this, I try to hide my shock. Paul smirks, looking very smug.

“They're allowed to talk, Paul,” I reply. “They do live in the same house. They know each other.”

He shrugs. “But how often do they look like they're discussing something very serious?”

“You know what?” I reply. “I'm not taking your bait, Paul. Whatever they were discussing, I’ll find out later.”

Paul smirks.

****

“Aer?” Aaron asks. “ _Erin_.”

I snap my eyes to him. “Huh?”

He's staring at me. In fact, they all are. All are concerned. Except Paul, who is looking smug.

“You’ve been quiet,” Aaron says. “Very quiet. You were pushing for this to be discussed.”

“Oh, um… Sorry.”

“Are you okay?” Terese asks.

I force a smile. “Of course.”

“She can't stop thinking about what I told her,” Paul says, looking so smug it's disgusting.

I scoff. “You don't know me, Paul.”

“Oh, you're wrong, Erin,” he replies.

“You should go talk to them,” Terese says. “I'm sure Aaron can represent the two of you for the rest of our meeting.”

She looks at him. Aaron nods.

“No,” I reply. “Thanks, but… It can wait till later.”

“Oh, love. You should,” Sheila replies. “You're distracted. It's not helping yourself to try & stick it out.”

I look at Aaron, wanting his opinion.

“You were upset before we started,” he says. “And given how the fight case is still open… It's worth you going & checking it out.”

I sigh. “Alright.”

“I’ll catch you up on this at home,” Aaron replies.

I nod. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome.”

I gather my things, & bid them goodbye… The last thing I see is Paul’s smug face before I turn & head for the door. _Mark & Jay have some explaining to do…_

****

I walk into the station, getting just inside when the door through to the interview rooms opens- Mark holding it open & Jay walking out. Jay & I both stop as we see each other, the three of us all looking shocked.

I look between them, trying to figure out what's happened. When I come up with nothing, the burning question leaves my lips…

“What's going on?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what's Jay hiding? What has Ned done to make Jay so hostile & protective of Erin & Felicity? And will Erin come clean to Jay about her relationship with Ned?


	65. When The Truth Comes Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three big secrets are revealed. But what will they do to those involved?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, baby chapter compared to others. But huge stuff. And I realised I completely forgot to post this over the weekend! Whoops!

I sink back into my chair, staring in disbelief at Mark & Jay as we sit in one of the interrogation rooms. They're on one side of the table, closest to the door while I’m on the other side.

“Say something,” Jay says with pleading eyes.

“When were you gonna tell me?”

“Tonight.”

“Right,” I reply. “So I mean that much to you, huh?” I shrug. “I don't get to know first. My brother gets to hear it before I do.”

“Aer,” Mark says.

“What?” I snap, looking at him. “I think I deserve to be angry at you both for this. Especially when I get blindsided in a meeting by _Paul_ knowing about you two being here.” I look at Jay. “So not only am I _not_ the first person to find out about this meeting, but the _third_.”

“I’m sorry, Erin,” Jay says. “I didn't want you to find out from someone else. I was coming to tell you first.”

I scoff.

“Honestly, Aer. I was coming to see you, to tell you _everything_ ,” He replies, leaning forward & reaching for my hand. “I want you & Felicity to be safe. And that's why I came to see Mark. I want to protect you.”

Tears sting the back of my eyes. I withdraw my hand from his. “Protecting me should have started with you telling me _first_. Before _anyone_ else.”

“Aer,” Mark says. “He did the best he could. Don't you think you're being harsh?”

“No, Mark,” I reply. “I’m upset at you too. You should have told me this was happening.”

“If you're going to blame anyone, blame just me,” Jay says. “Mark had no idea until I walked in that door & said I remembered something from that day.”

“I can't believe you remembered it days ago… And said _nothing_ ,” I reply, fighting tears. “That you kept looking at me, & hiding it from me.”

He swallows. “I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I wasn't sure if what I remembered was real.”

“And earlier? At the lake?” I ask. “Were you going to tell me?”

Mark frowns.

“He didn't tell you?” I ask Mark. “We made a promise this morning…” I look at Jay, locking eyes with him. “That there’d be… No. More. Lies.”

“You were going to tell me something too.”

“That's different.”

“Is it?”

Struggling not to let the tears fall, I can't handle being here any longer. I stand.

“Aer,” Jay pleads, reaching for my hand as I head for the door.

I dodge his hand, & yank the door open.

****

I sit on the grass by the lake, staring at the water as I let the tears fall. I can't stop thinking about what Jay had admitted to me. It's a huge deal. Possibly bigger than his last. I hate myself- I let him in again, oblivious to the fact that he's hiding something from me.

“Hey,” Ned says from behind me, making jump.

I look up at him as he steps up beside my right side.

“Sorry for scaring you.”

I force a smile as he sits down. He frowns.

“You okay?” He asks. “You seem upset.”

I look out at the water again… Sigh. I then look back at him. I can't not tell him. And all I need is four simple words.

“I know the truth.”

****

**Earlier… That fateful day…**

I place my empty glass down on the bar. As much as I like _The Waterhole_ , it's nice to go somewhere where the others aren't going to be. Somewhere I can be alone, free to detach from life for a bit.

I signal for the barman to give me another beer, noticing the door across the room opening. I turn & look as the barman pours my beer. A young man crosses the room, settling at the bar down that end of the room.

The barman brings my beer & I pay him as he takes my empty glass. I turn my focus back to the man, bugged by the nagging feeling that I know him.

The more I stare at him, the more I’m convinced I’m confusing him for someone else. So I turn to my beer, picking it up & taking a sip.

And it hits.

I’ve never met him, but his face is clear in my mind. Erin has heaps of photos of him. _He's the one that broke her heart_.

I grip my glass tighter as I clench my jaw. He's the reason why she's too afraid to be in a relationship with me. I should talk to him…

“She's nothing but a lying, cheating whore,” A man’s voice comes from behind me.

I lift my head, using the mirror above the bar to look behind me. A group of tough looking men are seated at the table behind me.

“She spreads her legs for any guy who wants it,” he says. “I give her everything she wants, & yet she _still_ goes around, fucking whoever she can. If I see one of them, I’m going to beat them up.”

Suddenly, there's an opportunity to get revenge on the man who broke Erin's heart. I take another sip of my beer, setting it down on the bar before turning around. I cross to the men.

“Sorry to interrupt,” I say.

The man with the cheating girlfriend glares at me. “What do you want?”

“I couldn't help but overhear your discussion.”

“So?”

“What does she look like? I saw a woman in here before, that might be her. I’m not going to say anything more until I know what she looks like.”

He glares at me, before showing me a photo of her on his mobile. I raise my eyebrow & smirk, staring at the brunette wearing nothing but hot pants & a bikini top. _Time to play him…_

“Ooooo,” I say, cringing.

He looks angry as he puts his mobile away. “You saw her?”

I nod. “Earlier today,” I reply. “She was in here, flirting with every cute guy in here. Heard her tell one guy she hates her boyfriend. He's not satisfying her in the bedroom.”

He leaps to his feet, his chair crashing back. He steps up to me, standing very close.

“Say that again,” he says.

“I'm just telling you what she said,” I reply. “She was going on about how she wants to find a guy who can blow her mind. Even tried it on me at one point. But I’m not a cheater. I have a girlfriend.”

“So?”

“I _do_ know that there's a man who I saw follow her into the bathroom,” I reply. “And they were in there a _very_ long time. No doubt she was letting him fuck her brains out.” I smirk. “If I wasn't in a relationship, I would have jumped on the opportunity to fuck her. And I would do it until she couldn't walk afterwards.”

He clenches his jaw, hands squeezed into fists.

“Where is this idiot?”

I smirk. “He's here.”

“Which one?”

“Sitting over there,” I reply, lifting my right hand & pointing across the room to Erin’s ex.

He's looking at me, confused as to why I’m pointing at him.

“Right boys,” The man says, drawing my attention back to him. “Let's go teach this guy a lesson.” He looks at me as his friends get up. “Thanks.”

I smile. “No worries.”

I watch as they cross the room. I head back to my beer, drinking it as I lean my arms on the bar & I watch them approach Erin's ex… What's his name? Jay?

I watch as he talks with the guy with the cheating girlfriend. Once things have heated up, & punches are starting to land, I down the rest of my beer, smirk as I look at him one last time before slipping out.

****

**Present**

“Erin,” he says as I get to my feet.

“Why would you do it?” I ask as he stands. “Why would you set a bunch of thugs on a man that you don't know?”

“Because of what he did to you.”

I look shocked. “You are _so not_ trying to pin your actions on _that_!”

“It's the truth.”

“That had _nothing_ to do with you.”

“Except that had he not crushed your heart, you wouldn't have been a wreak two weeks ago,” he replies. “You wouldn't have been sleeping with me for the last two weeks if it wasn't for what _he_ did to you. So, yeah, it _does_ have something to do with me.”

“It _doesn't_ give you the right to _lie_ in order to get a bunch of men to beat him almost to the point of death!”

“You don't get it, do you?” He shouts. “How could you not see things?”

“See what?”

“See why I did it,” He says. “Why I was so driven to make him pay for breaking you. How could you be so damn oblivious to it? Surely the _whole_ time we were together, it was obvious.”

I narrow my eyes. “What are you on about?”

He clenches his jaw in frustration. He sighs as he shakes his head.

“Ned?”

He shakes his head harder. “I’m not going to tell you.”

“Oh, how mature.”

“If you can't see it yourself, what's the point in me saying it?”

****

“It might make it easier for me to understand why you did it,” She says.

I shake my head. “There's no point,” I reply. “It's not going to change anything between us.”

She purses her lips together & slowly nods. “Fine,” She says, picking up her handbag. “If you're not going to say, then… I'm outta here.”

She walks away towards the complex. The pressure gets too much & in an act of sheer desperation & the need for her to know, the words I’ve wanted to say to her all along come tumbling out.

“Because I’m in love with you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the truth is out- Ned set Jay up. But what will happen now that he's dropped another bombshell? And will Erin ever tell Jay the truth about her & Ned?


	66. Treat You Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's the aftermath of last chapter's double bombshell reveals, the tensions are high & everyone involved tries to come to terms with it. But Erin has one last secret... And there's one big showdown...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Literally ripped my heart out writing about 99% of this chapter... that's how much I hate putting them through this.

_“Because I’m in love with you!”_

I stop mid-step, breath knocked out of me. I slowly turn around, jaw dropped & stare at him. He’s looking at me, tears in his eyes & a look of desperation.

“What?” I whisper.

He just looks at me. When he finally speaks, his voice is broken- “I’m in love with you.”

Tears sting my eyes. I shake my head. “No.”

“Erin,” He says, stepping closer.

“You're lying.”

“I’m not.”

I raise my eyebrow. “How am I meant to believe you?” I ask. “You hid the fact that you had Jay beaten up. How do I know you're not spinning this to cover your own ass?”

“Because I’ve felt this way for longer than that.”

I shake my head, backing up.

“Erin,” he pleads as I turn & walk away.

I can tell he's following me.

“Believe me when I say that I didn't want it to come out like this!”

I stop & turn around. He stops a few steps from me. “And when I came round to tell you I wanted to be with Jay. Were you going to admit it then? Or were you saving it to get back at me later?”

“I made the conscious decision to not tell you then, because I knew you were going to pick him. So why should I put my heart out there when I knew the outcome would still be the same?”

“Uh… Maybe things wouldn't be such a huge nightmare right now!”

“Please, Aer,” he begs, reaching for me.

“ _No!_ ” I shout, batting his hand away & turning my back on him.

I cross the complex, aware that he’s following. He catches up, grabs my left arm.

“ _GET OFF ME!_ ” I scream as I spin around. Without thinking, I slap him.

“Hey!” Mark shouts.

Mark’s at my side before I can think, separating Ned from me. Aaron & Jay step up beside me, Jay placing his hand on my shoulder. Ned touches his cheek as Mark stays between him & me.

“You tried to kill the love of my life. There's _no_ way I can forgive you for that. There's _no_ excuse that could _ever_ make that okay,” I say to Ned. “Your feelings for me _doesn't_ give you the right to get involved in something that has _nothing_ to do with you! You _intentionally_ put him up in a dangerous situation.” I step closer as I continue, “You sent those thugs his way, _knowing_ what they would do. And the _worst_ thing is… You saw me that day. You saw me  & pretended that everything was okay. You distracted me when Mark was _desperately_ trying to call me to tell me about it. I can't imagine you ever telling me, if things had worked out differently. If Jay had died.”

“You know you wanted that just as much as I did,” Ned replies. “You chose to ignore the calls.”

I lunge at Ned, Mark quickly grabbing me to hold me back. I struggle against him, quickly feeling Jay's hands on me as Mark lets go.

“I need you to come in & answer some questions,” Mark says to Ned.

Ned stares at me as I struggle to escape Jay's arms. He then looks at Mark & nods. Mark looks at us.

“Wait here,” he says.

I see Aaron in the corner of my eye as he nods to Mark. Mark turns back to Ned, placing his hand on Ned's shoulder before they head to the station.

****

Mark emerges a little while later as Jay, Aaron & I sit by the statue. He meets my gaze, & gives me a disapproving look as he approaches. I sigh.

“Hey Jay,” Aaron says. “Let's go get takeaway coffees.”

“What?” Jay asks.

Aaron gives him a look.

“Oh, right. Yeah.”

Aaron & Jay get up, Mark forcing a smile at them. He doesn't say anything until Jay & Aaron are out of earshot.

“Want to explain what happened?” He asks, one hand on his hip.

I sigh. “I know,” I reply. “That was a stupid thing to do.”

He nods before sitting down beside me. “I know that you're angry at him,” he replies. “But… Making a scene out here wasn't the best way of venting.”

“I know. I just…” I sigh. “Things got the better of me.”

He frowns, concerned. “Are you okay?”

I shake my head. “Not really.”

“Alright. You need to talk to someone about this,” he replies. “Don't bottle your feelings up until you explode.”

I nod. “Can it be you?” I ask, looking at him as tears sting my eyes.

His expression drops. He nods. “Of course,” he replies. “After my shift.”

I nod. “Sure.”

He wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him & he presses a long kiss to my left temple. I sigh, relaxing against him as I close my eyes, his hand rubbing my right shoulder rather comforting right now.

“What's going to happen now?” I ask.

“With Ned?”

I nod.

“I need to talk to him,” He replies. “He hasn't been that cooperative so far. I took the chance to let him calm down in there to come check up on you.”

“Is he going to be charged?”

His hand stills, his body tensing. I sit up & look at him.

“Mark?”

“It's… Complicated.”

I gape. “ _Complicated_?!”

“Aer, it's not very clear exactly how-”

“He _told_ those men to go over to Jay!” I exclaim, cutting him off. “He _sent_ them over there, knowing that Jay would get hurt. _Where_ exactly is things unclear?”

“Aer, calm down.”

I shake my head. “No, Mark,” I reply. “I don't care how complicated it is, I want you to charge him over it.”

“Well, it's not up to what you want.”

Tears sting my eyes & I pull away from him. He realises way too late how wrong that was.

“Aer, I just meant…” He says, before sighing. “Legally, it has to come from Jay.”

“What has to come from me?” Jay asks.

I turn, seeing him & Aaron stepping over with takeaway coffees. Jay hands me mine.

“I was just explaining that if Ned is charged, I would need you to say you want it.”

“Surely the seriousness of the crime doesn't require that,” Jay replies.

“Not exactly,” Mark replies. “I can charge the men who hurt you without your say. That happened the day of the fight.”

Jay nods. “And now? Ned?”

“As I was saying to Erin, it's far more complicated,” Mark replies. “He wanted you hurt, we know that much. However, he never touched you. He got others to do the actual assault.”

“You know what?” I ask. “Instead of sitting out here, just go inside & get it out of him. Do what you need to do.”

“Aer,” Mark says.

“I'm so over dealing with this,” I reply. “I just want it done. I want it over, & I can move on.”

Mark looks at me for a minute. He then nods. “Alright,” he softly says. “We’ll talk later.”

I nod. He leans forward, kissing my forehead, before getting to his feet. I see him exchange looks with Aaron- rolling my eyes as I recognise it means Mark wants Aaron to watch me.

“I don't need a babysitter,” I tell him.

“No,” Mark replies, turning to me. “But you need us to be there for you. So stop being so stubborn & just let us.”

I just stare at him.

He squats in front of me, wrapping his hands around mine.

“I care about you,” he says. “And I’m worried about you right now. That's why I want Aaron & Jay to keep an eye on you.”

“I'm not going to try & kill myself, if that's what you're thinking.”

Tears fill his eyes. “I know you wouldn't go that far,” he replies. “But you're dealing with a lot right now. And until we can sit down & talk through everything that's going on, I want to make sure that you're okay. So let Az & Jay take you home. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

I nod. He smiles, rising & kissing my forehead again. I watch him head back to the station, waiting until he's gone inside before I sigh.

****

The door opens & Mark steps in.

“How is she?” I ask as he closes the door.

“Emotionally unstable,” he replies as he takes his seat across from me.

I nod. “Can I talk to her?”

He looks up from his notes, one eyebrow raised. “Are you joking?”

“No.”

“You're the last person she needs to talk to right now.”

“I want to explain it all to her.”

“Well, you can,” he replies. “By explaining it to me.”

“I want to talk to her,” I reply. “I want to look her in the eyes.”

“I'm actually tempted to bring her in just to watch her let it all out on you.”

“Pretty sure that counts as prisoner abuse.”

He smirks slightly. “You're not technically under arrest.”

“So _technically_ I don't have to answer your questions.”

“You’ve been identified by not only the victim, but also the other men involved,” he replies. “Not to mention you’ve acknowledged it was you. So why don't you focus on being on the record, rather than worrying about my sister.”

“Isn't this a breach of something? Having you question me, since your sister is a part of it?”

“I'm the leading investigator.”

“Alright, fine,” I reply. “I did it. I told them to do it. But this was all done in a stupid act of jealousy. I hate the fact that he broke her heart. That he was the reason she wasn’t looking to be with me other than to escape the pain that _he_ inflicted by hiding the fact that he’s married.” I lean forward, resting my arms on the table. “So when I saw him there that day, I got jealous. And revengeful. And I hate that it all came out like this. But at the time, I didn’t think it would. I thought the pub was so far out of Erinsborough’s range, you wouldn’t get involved.”

“Well, I guess we have the West Warratah police being so swamped to thank for it coming out.”

“Yeah,” I mutter, nodding.

“And what about the fact that Jay nearly died?”

“I didn’t think they would put him like that,” I reply. “I just wanted him to be hurt. I wanted him to pay for what he did to her.”

“Well, he nearly died.”

“I know,” I reply. “I’m sorry.”

He makes a note in his files.

“I’m glad that he’s alive.”

He looks up at me, & slowly nods. “Your remorse will be good for you, in terms of the sentence you get.”

I nod. “I hate that she chose him over me,” I reply. “But… I guess my jealousy was the universe’s way of setting things right with them.” I lean back. “Things may not have worked out the way I wanted, but… I believe things have a way of playing out for the greater good.”

*****

“Hey, are you ready?” Paige asks as Aaron, Jay & I get home.

“Ready?” I ask, confused.

“Uh, yeah,” Aaron replies. “I texted Paige on our way home. I thought we’d take the little ones for a walk.”

“Sounds good,” I reply. “Let's go.”

Aaron & Paige exchange looks.

“I think they're trying to give us some time alone,” Jay quietly says, leaning closer to me, his arm banding around me & pulling me close.

“Marry him,” Paige tells me.

I nervously laugh. “Let's try dating for more than six months first.”

“I'm just saying,” Paige replies. “He already understands us. He's a keeper.”

Jay smiles. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome. Alright,” Paige replies. “Az, let's get the kids & go.”

“Definitely,” Aaron replies, nodding.

They get ready & then we say goodbye to them. I put on a brave face, smiling as I wave bye to Felicity. The front door closes & I fight back tears.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Jay says, turning me to him.

He cups my face in both hands, brushing my tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. He rests his forehead against mine.

“Everything’s going to be alright,” he whispers.

I slowly nod. He presses his lips to mine softly. Needing him so much, I chase his lips as he pulls back. I wrap my arms around his neck, pushing myself against him. He slides his right hand into my hair, his left dropping to my waist & I feel his hand pushing my top & jacket.

****

I stir, reaching for him. But he's not there. I open my eyes, finding him sitting on the edge of my bed with his back to me. I sit up, shift closer, & press my chest to his back as I rest my chin on his right shoulder & wrap my arms around his waist. He turns his head & presses a kiss to my nose.

“Were you planning on leaving?” I ask.

“Never,” he replies, placing his hands over mine.

“So what are you doing sitting here on the edge, not curled up with me?”

He sighs. “I can't get my mind off that day,” he replies. “I keep reliving it over & over & _over_ again. I keep seeing _his_ face.”

I kiss the back of his shoulder. “I can't believe how close I got to losing you forever.”

“But _why_?” He asks. “Why did he do it? Until that day, I’d never met him before. Technically we didn't that day. I didn't even know who he was until I saw you talking to him outside _Harold's_.”

I sigh, internally battling myself over whether I should confess that there's a big chance he did it because he's in love with me & got jealous.

“Aer?” He asks.

I lift my head from his shoulder as I pull my arms from him. Concerned, he shifts, turning to face me.

“Aer?” He’s really concerned now.

The tears fall.

“Hey,” he says, softly as he cups my face. “Talk to me, Aer.”

I swallow. “You know that thing I was going to tell you earlier?” I ask. “At the lake?”

He nods. “Yeah.”

I take a shaky breath. “Know that I can't lose you-”

“What's going on?”

“But I also can't keep this from you.”

“Babe, you're not going to lose me.”

My jaw trembles as I fight back tears. “But I will…”

He shakes his head. “Aer.”

“I missed you _soooo_ much,” I say. “And I tried to ease the pain, cause I just can't take any more but I’ve done something stupid  & I’m going to lose you all over again.”

“Aer, listen to me,” he says. “I don't know what you're saying.”

I inhale sharply, letting it out in a shaky exhale. He rests his forehead against mine, his thumbs rubbing back & forth over my cheeks, & I close my eyes, sinking into his touch. His warm, comforting touch.

And it just slips out…

“I was sleeping with Ned.”

****

I pull back from her, dropping my hands from her face as she opens her eyes. She looks at me, her heart breaking as much as mine.

“What?”

“You were…” She sighs. “I didn't think I would have the chance of being with you, & I was just so… I couldn't stand the pain, & Ned… He was there. And I… He made me feel like I was wanted &…” She covers her face, running her hands over it. “I regret it now, but… At the time… He… He took the pain away. It was nothing serious.”

“But you were sleeping with him.”

“Jay,” She says softly. The silent plead.

And it all makes sense. Why he set the men on me.

“So… Let me get this straight,” I say. “You… Jumped into bed with him. For what? Friends with benefits?”

“… Yes.”

“And I’m assuming at _some_ point, his feelings changed,” I say. “Because a man who is just having no strings attached sex isn't the type to set a bunch of thugs on her ex.”

“Jay.”

I shake my head. I get up & pull on my boxers.

“So earlier,” I say, reaching for my jeans. “When you promised no more secrets. That was all because you were feeling guilty over this? That you were trying to butter me up before dumping this on me?”

“No,” She replies, & it breaks my heart to hear how defeated she sounds.

“So what was it, then?” I ask, pulling my jeans on.

She swallows. “I really meant that, Jay,” She says. “I really want us to be honest with each other. You’re the first man who I can _really_ see myself spending the rest of my life with. Who wants me _&_ Felicity. And I took breaking up with you really hard.”

“Not hard enough to stop you from jumping the first guy you saw.”

She inhales sharply, tears breaking out & run down her cheeks.

“I need to get out of here,” I reply, grabbing my shirt.

“Jay,” She begs as I pull it on.

I grab my shoes & jacket & head for the door.

****

“Jay! _Please!_ ” I beg, watching him open my bedroom door.

I leap to my feet, grab a shirt & pull it on as I head for the door. He's awkwardly putting on his jacket, shoes in hand, as he walks- no, _storms_ down the hallway.

“Please just stay.”

“I can't talk to you right now.”

“I just want you to talk to me.”

“About _what_?” He snaps, turning back to me as we reach the main room. “You slept with Ned!”

“So you're holding this over me, despite the fact that we weren't together?”

“After the way that you reacted when Rachael turned up?” He asks. “You made a huge deal over that, & then you go & do _exactly_ what you were getting furious at me for.”

“That's… Different.”

“ _How_?”

“For starters, you were, & still technically are, married to her.”

“Well then,” he replies. “Why don't you go marry Ned. Call it even.”

****

“Jay,” She softly says, tears rolling down her face.

A part of me wants to put this aside, to pull her into me & hold her as she cries. A part of me wants to not hurt her again… But I look at her, & all I can see is her with _him_. The thought of him being with her makes me sick.

“I can't stand being around you right now.”

****

_“I can't stand being around you right now.”_

“Please.”

He turns & heads to the door. I reach after him, but don't step closer when he yanks the door open. He shoves the security door out of his way… The front door slamming shut, making me involuntarily jump. The security door bangs shut too, & I break down.

I sink to the floor as the tears fall. _I should have just kept my mouth shut._

****

I cross the complex, heading to have a beer at _The Waterhole_. Sure, it's a hub for everyone connected to Erin, not to mention its right next to the station where _he_ is… But I really don't want to go anywhere else.

I’m crossing in front of _Rebecchi Law_ when I glance to my left…  & see _him_ leaving the station. All the pent up anger, all the _rage_ I’ve been bottling up inside smashes to the surface. I quickly cross to him as he heads to the carpark, coming up behind him  & push him.

He stumbles forward a few steps before turning to me, stunned to see me.

“You couldn't have her for yourself, so you try to kill me?” I ask. “Did you think killing me would make her want to be with you?”

“You weren't exactly making yourself available to her,” he replies.

“At least I don't go around trying to murder people.”

“No,” he says, smirking slightly. “You just go around sleeping with vulnerable women, let them open up to you when they weren't willing to give their heart to anyone & then _crush_ that fragile heart by revealing you're _already_ married.”

I clench my fist. “You know _nothing_.”

“Right back at ya.”

“So that's your type, is it?”

“What?”

“Trying to bed women who are related to you _just_ distant enough that it's not considered incest,” I reply. “Oh, wait. You tried it on with Lauren. And she's pretty much your step-mum.”

“At least I’m not having an affair.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Really? That the best you got?” I ask. “An endless rehash of the _one_ fact. It's a weak argument.”

“Okay, how about the fact that your wife- what's her name?” He asks. “That's right. Rachael. How pregnant was she when she turned up here?”

“Not my kid,” I reply. “My relationship with her ended _well_ before that pregnancy.”

“So why hide it from Erin?”

“Why try to sleep with your dad’s girlfriend?”

“Why tell Erin that you love her, despite hiding something that big, fully aware of how reluctant she was to be in a relationship?”

I shrug. “Why sleep with her when she was in the _exact_ same state of mind when you came into the picture?”

“She was _always_ up for it with me,” he replies. “ _Never_ gave you a second thought.” He takes a step closer, smirking. “She even said I was the _best_ she _ever_ _had_.”

Next thing I know, my right fist collides with his cheek. He stumbles sideways a few steps, turning to me as he holds his jaw. He glares at me.

“She never thought of you _once_ while you were gone,” he says. “Did she tell you that the day that it happened… The day you almost died in that pub brawl. Did she tell you that while Mark was desperately calling her to come down here to see you, she was underneath me.” He steps closer. “So as much as she says she's in love with you, she chose to have me rip _my_ name out of her while she orgasmed, instead of talking to _you_.”

Furious, I punch his stomach. As he bends over, groaning, I swing my right arm, once again colliding my fist into his cheek.

“Did she tell you she thought she was pregnant?”

He looks up at me, still bent over, & smirks. “When? Was it when you were interstate?” He replies. “Cause you _are_ aware she was having a _lot_ of sex with me by then, right? I even tramp stamped her.”

“Oh, it would _never_ have been yours.”

His fist collides with my cheek. The rest is a blur- more punches, grabbing each other… Wrestling on the floor…

“ _Hey!_ ” Mark barks.

Arms pull at me, & I manage to get a few more blows in before I’m pulled off him. I watch as two officers grab his arms as he rises to come after me as I’m pulled backwards.

“Calm down, mate,” Mark says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh! So Ned & Jay have had a showdown, & Jay knows about Ned & Erin. What does this mean for Jay & Erin’s already fragile relationship? And will this bring up more dark memories from Erin’s past?


	67. I'm Running Away (From You)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin blames herself, facing her tragic past & finds herself once more at the mercy of dark thoughts...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I started this chapter, I hadn't planned on the last scene. Well... Not this incarnation of it. But I'm actually glad I changed things up.

“Jay?” I croakily ask, sitting up from lying on the couch so I can see the front door after hearing it open.  
My heart breaks when I see that it’s just Mark, & I close my eyes as I hang my head.  
“Are you okay?” He asks as he shuts the door.  
I heavily sigh. “Nope.”  
He comes around the back of the couch. I tuck my legs up, wrapping my arms around them so he can sit.  
“Is this about earlier?” He asks. “The outburst with Ned?”  
I smile weakly. “I wish it was just that.”  
He looks worried. “Has something else happened?”  
I swallow the lump in my throat as I fight back tears. “I… I told Jay.”  
He looks shocked. “About… you... & Ned?”  
I nod, struggling to not cry.  
“Oh, Aer,” He replies, reaching an arm around me.  
I shift, changing positions so I can fall against his chest as I let the tears fall & he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight as he rubs my back soothingly.  
“He stormed out of here & I don’t think he’s going to come back,” I say through my tears.  
“Oh, I wouldn’t be so quick to jump to that conclusion.”  
I sit up, frowning as I look at him. “Do you know something?”  
He hesitates. “Myself & two officers had to break up a fight at the complex not too long ago,” he replies. “Jay & Ned were having it out.”  
“ _What?!_ ”  
“Don’t freak out. No one was seriously hurt.”  
“Not what I was freaking out over.”  
“Jay’s… gone home.”  
I lick my lip, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I didn’t think he would want to come back here anytime soon.”  
“He just needs time to get his head around it,” he says. “He was fired up when I saw him.”  
I sigh. “You don’t have to give me false hope, Mark,” I reply. “I just ruined my chances to have a future with him.”  
“You haven’t, Aer,” he replies, taking hold of my hands. “You did the right thing by telling him now.”  
“Did I?”  
He nods. “Holding secrets destroy relationships.”  
“And confessing them does too,” I reply. “It’s a no win situation.”  
“Hey,” he says. “Just… give him some time. He loves you. A lot. He just needs to get his head around it. To let that anger & shock fade.”  
I sigh. “I really hope so,” I reply, fighting back more tears. “I really don’t want to lose him for good.”  
He pulls me in again. I rest my head on his chest, his head resting on mine as I cry.  
****  
Paige, Tyler, Aaron & the kids get home as Mark & I are preparing dinner. I’m chopping up onions, to hide the fact that I’m still crying over Jay.  
“Everything okay, Erin?” Paige asks.  
“Yeah,” I reply, focusing on the onions. “Chopping onions makes me cry.”  
I glance up, watching them exchange looks. I sigh in annoyance.  
“Okay, fine! Let me save you all the trouble,” I reply. “I told Jay that I had a thing with Ned. And he left here very angrily, & now he’s at his place probably hating me & I’ve ruined yet _another_ relationship because that’s all I seem to be able to do.”  
“Aer, you’re not a bad person,” Aaron says.  
“Maybe I’m just cursed.”  
“So you’ve had a few bad relationships-”  
“Few?” I ask, cutting him off as I raise my eyebrow. “Every guy I’ve been with has left me. The only difference with Jay is that he’s gone _twice_.”  
“It doesn’t mean that you’re a bad person.”  
“Just means I suck at relationships.”  
“Aer.”  
“No, Az. I’m right,” I reply. “I get settled into a relationship, & then when it’s all cozy… I light the bomb under my relationship, blowing it to smithereens.”  
“Don’t you think you’re being a little hard on yourself?” Tyler asks.  
I shrug. “Just… stating the truth.”  
Everything feels so suffocating in here.  
“I need some air,” I say, placing the knife down & heading for the backyard.  
“Erin,” Mark says.  
But I push the back door open.  
****  
“That went well,” Mark says, gripping the bench with both hands.  
“It’s hard to pick yourself up when you’ve broken up,” Paige says. “It’s easy to blame yourself.”  
“But blaming yourself for every relationship you’ve ever had?” Aaron asks.  
“Yeah… that’s a new thing.”  
“I’m going to talk to her,” Mark says, turning towards the laundry.  
“Don’t Mark,” I say.  
He turns to me. “What?”  
“Give her some time to calm down,” I reply. “And if it’s really bothering you… I’ll go talk to her.”  
They all look surprised.  
“Who are you & what have you done with Tyler?” Aaron asks.  
“Ha ha,” I reply flatly. “I’m the closest in age to her. Plus, when we were younger, there was a time when it was just the two of us. You two had left to work, & we got pretty close. So why don’t I see if I can get her to stop blaming herself so much.”  
“Aww, Gertie!” Aaron says, putting his arm around my shoulders. “Who knew you could be such a softie!”  
“Okay, enough with the lame digs.”  
****  
I’m sitting at the pool edge, feet in the water, watching the water moving. I remember all the times we’d come out here & swim, all the times Jay would do laps with me on his back… All the fun we had together, swimming & splashing & kissing… _Maybe coming out here was the worst idea…_  
“Hey,” Tyler says.  
I look up as he comes through the gate.  
“I’d rather be alone right now,” I reply.  
“Well, I can sit here in absolute silence,” He replies, sitting down crossed legged next to me.  
I purse my lips together. “Should have known,” I reply. “That’s one thing us four have in common. Stubborn as hell.”  
“We also have each other’s backs,” he replies, nudging my arm.  
I can’t help but smile.  
“Don’t keep blaming yourself,” he says.  
I roll my eyes. “How can I? I’ve had nothing but failed relationships.”  
“Really? Cause from where I’m sitting, they failed not because of you.”  
“Don’t Ty.”  
“Zack- he didn’t want kids.”  
“Which I had anyway.”  
“Because you wanted her.”  
I smile slightly. “Best part of my life.”  
He nods. “She's amazing,” he replies. “And who was next? Eddie?”  
I nod.  
“Well, anyone from _that_ family…” he replies. “So evil.”  
I force a smile. “And Jay?”  
“He’s… different.”  
I smile as I think of him. “Yeah,” I mutter.  
“Love… can be hard,” he says. “But sometimes, the truest love is the hardest to hold onto.”  
I narrow my eyes at him. “What?”  
“There’s that saying,” He says. “If you love it, let it go. If it comes back, it’s meant to be.”  
“And what if it comes back just to leave again?”  
“Do you love him?”  
“Yes.”  
“Does he love you?”  
I hesitate, remembering the way he looked at me just before he walked out. “Not so sure.”  
“He’s written like… a dozen songs about you,” he replies. “Pretty obvious he has it really bad for you, Aer.”  
“Yeah, well, you didn’t see his face earlier,” I reply. “The way he reacted.”  
“You told him you’d been sleeping with the guy who is responsible for him nearly dying,” He replies. “Do you honestly blame him for being angry?”  
“Angry, I can take,” I reply. “Having him say he can’t stand to look at me?” I shake my head.  
“How would you feel if the guy you love admits he’d slept with someone else?” He asks. “Look at how you reacted when you found out about Rachael.”  
I sigh. “He wanted to explain it all, & I didn’t listen,” I reply. “And then he did that to me today. He ignored my pleas to stay & talk it out.”  
“Just give him some time.”  
“Oh, wow. Mark much?”  
“Well, he’s right.”  
“Mmmm, yeah, maybe,” I reply, looking at my hands.  
“Have you ever considered there’s a reason why you have these relationships?”  
“Like?” I ask, looking at him.  
He swallows before nervously licking his lip. “Maybe it’s an effect of what-”  
“ _Don’t_ mention him,” I cut him off. “He _doesn’t_ deserve to be talked about. Not after what he did to you.” I struggle not to cry. “What he did to _me_.”  
“Hey, I don't like talking about him any more than you.”  
“Says the one who brought him up.”  
“But it's a huge part of both our lives,” he replies. “All I’m saying is… Don't you think he might be responsible for all of this?”  
I think it all over, but the images of what happened on & off throughout almost all of my teenage years has me _sick_.  
“You have the chance to be with a good guy who will always treat you the way that you deserve to be treated,” he says. “Let him have tonight to himself. Don't text, don't call. Just… Let him be. And then work it out tomorrow.”  
I sigh. “Easier said than done.”  
“Hey,” he says, nudging my arm to make me look at him. “It hurts like hell right now, but I know you, Aer. You're gonna wake up tomorrow & hate not being with him. And once you get your heart set on something… You won't give up.”  
I sigh. “Maybe.”  
****  
I roll over, looking at my alarm clock. 2 am. I sigh, rolling onto my back before dragging my hands over my face. I can't sleep. Every time I do, I’m haunted by my past. All my exes, what happened to me & Tyler… _It's all too much_.  
I push back my covers, get up & cross to my door. I open it & head out to the main room, moving quietly so not to wake the others.  
The kitchen is lit a little by the moonlight, just light enough for me to see. I cross to the bench, sighing as I rest my arms on it. I catch sight of the knife block, one of the knife handle’s tip glinting in the moonlight. Without thinking, I pull it out, bringing it back to me. I stare at it, watching the light bounce off the metal. I turn my head, looking at my left forearm. I turn it over, laying it on the cool bench so my palm is facing up. How easy it would be to drag the knife tip from my wrist up towards my arm… To take the pain away…  
I lift the knife over my left arm, tilting the tip down so it hovers just over my wrist.  
“Don't,” Jay says, startling me, making me jump so the knife just touches my skin, but not enough to break it.  
I look towards him. He's standing halfway between me & the front door.  
“J-Jay?”  
He smiles. “Hey.”  
“What… What are you doing here?”  
“I came to work things out with you,” he replies. “And it seems I’ve come just in time.”  
I look at the knife, still poised over my wrist.  
“Talk to me, Aer,” he says. “Tell me what's going on?”  
“I can't take it anymore,” I reply. “I can't take the pain.”  
“Fine,” he replies, suddenly behind me. “Do it. Drag the knife over your arm. End the pain for good. Take the easy way out.”  
I stare at the knife, deciding whether to do it or not. My hand shakes as I think about how the others will react- how Mark will take finding me in the morning, how he’ll have to explain it to Felicity, how much pain it will give them all…  
He wraps his hand around mine. I expect him to pull my hand from the handle, shocked when he instead slowly pulls our hands towards us, pushing down just hard enough to drag the tip along my skin. It's not enough to make me bleed, but it still hurts.  
“No! What? What are you doing?”  
“You want the pain gone?” He asks, still dragging it up my arm. “Then do this. Do it again, only harder than this. Take the pain away. Abandon your daughter. Let her grow up with her Uncles & Aunt. She probably won't remember you that well. So do it, Erin. Kill yourself.”  
“No,” I whisper.  
“ _DO IT!_ ” He shouts, hitting the bench with his hand.  
“No!”  
Suddenly he’s across the bench from me, sitting with his forearms resting on the bench.  
“Why are you doing this, Aer?” He asks, almost begging. So different to the last words he said. “Why are you trying to do this to yourself?”  
I try to speak, but… No words come out.  
“Don't you love me?”  
And suddenly I find my voice again. “Yes.”  
“So be the woman I love,” he replies, leaning forward. “Be the strong woman I know. Keep fighting. Not just for yourself, but for your family. For Aaron, for Tyler, for Paige, Lilly, Scott… For Mark. For Felicity. For _me_.” He reaches out, taking hold of my upturned hand, our fingers curling around each other. “Don't give up on us. I’m in love with you, Erin. You're stronger than this.” He squeezes my hand. “You here that, Aer? I’m in love with you.”  
That's what I need- five simple yet powerful words to break out of this. I loosen my grip, the knife dropping onto the bench. I look down at it, watching it rock before stilling. When I look up, he's gone.  
I look around the room, but he's nowhere to be seen.  
****  
I lay Lilly down in her cot, smiling as her tiny left hand falls beside her head. It's really cute the way she does that.  
“Mmm she’s got you wrapped around her little finger,” Paige says.  
“Doesn't have to try that hard,” I reply, stroking Lilly's hair.  
“You know, I should be jealous that you're smitten with another girl,” She replies. “But I’m perfectly fine with it being her.”  
I smile as I cross to our bed & sit down on the edge beside her. I lean forward & press my lips to hers, being careful not to squish Scott who is in her arms.  
“Are you okay if I just go check on Felicity?”  
“You're worried about Erin.”  
I nod. “She's really struggling, & I don't know what to do,” I reply. “So I thought helping out with Felicity would be one less thing she needs to worry about.”  
She smiles. “You're a good brother,” She replies. “And Uncle.”  
I smirk. “I do the best I can.”  
“Well, go do your best.”  
I lean forward & press my lips against hers. I stroke Scott’s head before getting up. I pass Lilly as I head for the door, smiling as I look at her. I slip out, slowly shutting the door so not to wake either of our children. I head to Felicity's room, quietly opening the door incase she's still asleep. I cross to her bed, shocked to find it empty.  
Instantly fearing Erin’s run away, I move to the draws where Felicity's clothes are kept. Most of her clothes are gone, along with a number of her toys. I sigh, shaking my head slightly.  
I head out of her room, turning left instead of right to my room & walk up the hallway to Erin’s. The door is closed, clearly to hide the truth, & I open it as I hold my breath, praying that I’ve made a mistake. But I’m met with an empty bed, & a room littered with the clothes & other possessions she's left behind.  
I run my hand over my face as I sigh. _What have you done, Aer?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh. Erin's left. But why? And where will she go? Will her family find her before anything bad happens??


	68. The Search

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark's fears start to come true, Tyler voices his worries to Piper, & Jay has a revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One of the things I love is exploring the relationship between the Brennan siblings. Delving into the different dynamics. And I'm laying the groundwork for the sequel I have planned even though I haven't finished this one! Haha!

“She’ll be alright,” Paige says, as I try calling Erin for the tenth time.

I sigh, hanging up when it goes to her voicemail. _Again_. “It's her leaving without saying anything that bothers me.”

“She just… Needs space to think,” She replies, putting the baby monitor down on the kitchen bench.

“That would ease my mind, if she hadn't packed almost all her belongings.”

“What's going on?” Tyler asks.

We turn to him- he & Aaron are emerging from the bedrooms.

“Erin's gone,” Paige says.

“ _What_?” Aaron  & Tyler reply.

“I went to check on Felicity this morning, but she wasn't in her bed & her clothes were gone,” I reply. “So I checked Erin’s room… &… It looks like a bomb site. She clearly left in a hurry.”

“Alright,” Tyler says. “What can we do?”

“Both of you go to work.”

“What? Seriously, bro?” Tyler asks. “She _is_ our sister too.”

“I know, but… I got this under control.”

“How many times have you tried calling her?” Aaron replies as he passes me to get his breakfast.

“Guessing double figures already,” Tyler replies.

“See, _this_ is why I don't want you two involved,” I reply. “You're joking around.”

“We’re just teasing,” Aaron replies. “We care about her.”

“But you two have work,” I reply.

“All of which we can postpone for a few hours,” Aaron replies.

“Yeah,” Tyler replies. “Az can cancel a few meetings, & it's quiet at the garage so I can afford to close for the morning.”

“Thanks, but… I got this under control.”

“Let them help, Mark,” Paige says.

“Honestly, it's fine. I can handle it on my own,” I reply. “I’ll call if I need you.”

“Okay, fine,” Tyler replies, raising his hands. He goes to get his breakfast.

“Hey, you're going to see Piper before she goes to school, yeah?”

“That's the plan,” Tyler replies, bent over getting something from the fridge.

“Good. If you want to help, you can ask Terese something for me.”

“Sure,” He replies, shifting to the bench. “What's the message?”

“Ask her if she can check the _Lassiter’s_ books, see if Erin’s checked in.”

“If she's left here,” Aaron says. “Do you really think she’d check into somewhere as obvious as _Lassiter's_? I mean, it's right next door to your work.”

“I just want to be thorough,” I reply. “It's better to go through the obvious places as well, just in case.”

“I’ll ask her,” Tyler replies. “Get her to call you regardless of what she finds?”

I nod. “That would be good, thanks.”

“No worries,” he replies. “Just happy I get to help a little.”

****

I come downstairs with my schoolbag after brushing my teeth, hearing Mum & Tyler in the kitchen. I put my bag down at the bottom of the stairs & cross to them.

“Hey, sweetheart,” Mum says & Tyler looks at me.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey, what's going on?” I ask, as Tyler & I put an arm around each other.

“Erin's… Gone,” he says.

“What? Oh my god.”

“Mark asked if I could get Terese to check the check in at _Lassiter's_ , in case she's there.”

“So she's really just up & left?” I ask. “What about Felicity?”

“She's taken her with her,” He replies. “So we’re hoping that she hasn't gone far… Which is why we’re checking the hotel.”

“And I’ll let Mark know what I find,” Terese says.

“And then what?” I ask.

“I’ve got work to do,” Tyler replies.

“Seriously?” I ask, eyebrow raised. “Not gonna help look for your sister?”

“Mark’s… Refusing to let us help,” he replies. “Anyway… You need to get to school, & I’m going to get you there, so… Let's go.”

“What? That's it?” I ask, as he ushers me towards the door.

“Bye sweetheart!” Mum calls out as Tyler scoops up my bag. “Have a good day!”

****

“So you're seriously just gonna work when your sister is… God knows where?” She asks, as I drive her to school in my work van.

“That's what Mark wants,” I sigh.

“I don't care about what he wants,” She replies. “I asked what _you_ want.”

“I want to be out there, looking for my sister & my niece.”

I catch her purse her lips in the corner of my eye.

“Maybe Mark’s right,” She says. “Let him handle it.”

I sigh, gripping the wheel tighter. “I _can't_ ,” I reply. “Mark can't always handle things on his own, only seeking help when _he_ wants it rather than just accepting it from the start. And make me feel like a caged animal.”

“Why?”

“If it were you… If it was you in my position, & Ned was missing,” I say. “And you were told by Paige to just go to school & let her handle finding him… Would you?”

She sighs. “Mum & Dad would be mad at me if I ditched school.”

I pull over, just down the road from school- our usual place. I switch off the engine & turn to look at her. “I know Erin’s current state of mind.”

She looks surprised. “You do?”

I nod. “I can't go into details, but…” I sigh. “I talked to her yesterday evening. And… I know what's going on in her head. I know what her head space is. I know it better than Mark does right now.”

“So go,” She says. “Look for her.”

I nod. “I will.”

“Good,” She replies. “Keep me updated.”

“Of course,” I reply, leaning over to kiss her.

She pulls back, looking around to see if any of her classmates are around, before leaning in & kissing me. I cup her cheek, pushing my tongue against her lips & she lets me in.

“Mmm, I gotta go,” She says.

“Ditch school & help me.”

“And have Mum berate me for it?” She replies. “Noooo thanks.”

I force a smile. “Of course.”

“You’ll find her.”

I nod. “Hope so.”

“You will,” She replies, grabbing hold of her bag. “Thanks for the lift.”

“It means I get to spend time with you.”

She smiles. “Yeah,” She replies. “Anyway… I gotta go. Bye.”

“Bye.”

She gets out & shuts the door. I watch her head down the street, turning back to me & I wave. She smiles as she walks backwards, waves & turns around to keep going.

****

I groan as I stir, woken by my mobile ringing. I roll over & pick it up off my bedside table.

“Hey, Mark,” I say into it. “Look, if you're calling to berate me for what I said to Erin, then save it. I know I made a mistake.”

“Hey. Good, cause… That's not what I was calling about.”

I sigh. “Let me guess. He wants to press assault charges.”

“Nope,” he replies. “I was wondering if you’ve heard anything from Erin?”

I frown. “Why? What's going on?”

He sighs. “I went to check up on Felicity this morning, & she wasn't there,” he replies. “And so was Erin. She’s packed up & gone.”

It's a massive punch to my gut. I close my eyes- _am I responsible for this?_

“Jay?” He asks, snapping me from my thoughts.

“No, I haven't,” I reply.

He sighs. “Thought it was a long shot.”

“I could try calling her?”

“Would she answer?”

“It's worth the try,” I reply. “I can't help thinking that I’m responsible for this.”

“You're not, mate,” he replies. “Not… Fully anyway. She’s…” He sighs. “Struggling with the fact her relationships keep failing.”

I close my eyes, heart breaking. “I’m going to come help you look for her.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I got this under control.”

“Mark…” I sigh. “If I’m responsible for her doing this, even if it's just partly…”

“Alright. If you hear from her-”

“Contact you.”

“And if she turns up,” he replies. “Which, may be a miracle, can you please find a way to keep her there?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Thanks mate.”

“No worries.”

****

“And I’ll contact you if she does,” Jay says.

“Thanks,” I reply.

“I don't think she'll have gone far,” he replies. “She’s just freaking out, acting on impulse. She’ll be somewhere close by, trying to figure out what to do.”

I sigh. “Yeah, I hope so.”

Paige hurries over, her mobile up to her ear.

“Terese, can you hold on for a sec?” She says into it.

“Jay, I gotta go,” I reply.

“Yeah, sure. Keep me updated.”

“You too,” I reply. “Bye.”

“Bye,” he replies, before hanging up.

“I’m going to put Mark on now,” Paige says as I lock & put my mobile in my pocket. She hands me hers.

“Hey, Terese,” I say into it.

“Hey, Mark,” Terese replies. “I’ve checked our records, &… I’m sorry, she's not here.”

I sigh, running my free hand over my face.

“However…”

I drop my hand, Paige looking confused as she notes my sudden change of expression.

“Go on,” I reply.

“We have a room we keep unbooked, ready for use by any entertainment acts,” Terese says. “Now, this may be a long shot… But… I wasn't expecting anyone to be in there.”

“So it's occupied?”

“Someone has indeed checked in,” She replies. “I’m trying to contact the staff member on reception at the time they checked in, but they’ve gone home so it will take some time.”

“So what's the doubt?”

“It's under a pseudonym,” She replies. “And before you ask why I have a feeling it's her… It's a name I know. We discussed using a few false names, & this is one we discussed using. Which is why I want to confirm with my staff member what the woman looked like.”

“It's a start.”

“Indeed,” She replies. “If it is Erin… She clearly didn't think I’d check.”

I’m reminded of what Jay said. “Unless she wanted us to find her.”

“That doesn't make sense.”

“I’ll explain when I get there,” I reply. “I’m on my way.”

“I’ll meet you here in reception.”

“Good,” I reply. “Thanks, Terese.”

“You're welcome.”

I hang up.

“So she's there?” Paige asks, as I hand her her mobile.

“There's a good chance,” I reply. “So I’m gonna go down there, check it out.”

She nods. “I’ll call if I hear anything.”

I nod. “Thanks.”

“No need.”

I give her a quick kiss, grab my keys & head for the door.

****

“Thanks for meeting me,” I say to Terese as I step over to her near the _Lassiter's_ lift.

“Happy to help out,” Terese replies. “I’ll fill you in on the way up.”

I nod & we get into the lift. She presses the highest public floor.

“I got hold of my staff member,” She says, as the lift takes us up. “The woman who checked into the room matches Erin’s looks.”

“Surely she would have needed ID or something.”

“According to the staff, she sweet talked her round the usual check in requirements,” She replies. She sighs. “I have a feeling my staff took pity on her, given she has Felicity.”

The image of Felicity crying or at least being fussy while Erin checked in plays in my mind, & I can't help but wonder if Erin could have done anything to make her upset. I push the thought aside- _Erin wouldn't do that. She wouldn't intentionally hurt Felicity._

The lift comes to a stop & the doors open. I follow Terese out, letting her lead me to the room. We stop in front of the door & Terese gestures towards it. I knock three times & wait.

No response.

So I knock three more times.

Still nothing.

“Maybe she's left,” I quietly say.

“I’ve been at reception the whole time,” She quietly replies. “I haven't seen her leave.”

“But there's the underground carpark.”

"Hmmm true," She replies. "Let's try one more time, & then we’ll use the master key to get in. If she's gone, I’ll check CCTV footage for her.”

I nod, raising my fist again. I knock again. “Erin?” I say, loud enough to be heard inside. “Erin, it's Mark. Terese is here with me. Can you open up, please?”

Nothing.

“At least make a noise so we know you're in there,” I say.

Still nothing.

I sigh, frustrated.

Then I hear something.

“Maybe-”

“Shh,” I say, cutting her off as I try to hear it again.

I lean my left side of my head closer to the door, & listen. Terese looks confused. But there it is again.

“Do you hear that?” I ask.

“Hear what?” She replies.

“ _That_ ,” I reply, hearing it again.

It may be slightly muffled by the door, but it's an all too familiar sound. _Felicity crying_. And not just any cry. She’s very upset. She's in _distress_.

Fighting my worst fears to stay calm, I look at Terese.

“I need to get inside,” I tell her.

Terese hesitates.

“Terese, _please_ ,” I beg. “I know you can hear that. That's Felicity crying. I _need_ to get in there. So can you _please_ give me the key.”

She hesitates, but then pulls the master key from her pocket.

“Thank you,” I say as she reaches to swipe it.

The door unlocks & I reach for the handle, turning it & pushing it open. I step inside, met by Felicity's cries, the bed out of my sight due to a wall. Once I know Terese has the door, I walk into the room, stopping suddenly when the bed comes into sight.

Felicity's sitting in the middle of the bed, screaming & crying. But what's more distressing is the fact that in front of her, lying on her back, her head turned towards the windows to my left & unconscious is…

“Erin!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's happened to Erin? Will she be alright?


	69. The Woman That I Madly Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mark worries over what Erin's done, while Jay opens up about how he feels & Tyler worries his words have caused this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really happy with one of the scenes. I'd be more specific, but I'm one for keeping spoilers. However, the chapter title is taken from it.

“Erin,” I say as I kneel on the bed.

I reach for her neck, putting two fingers on it, applying just enough pressure to feel her pulse. I sigh when I can just feel it. It's slow, but there.

Felicity reaches for me, her hands sliding down my thighs & I look at her. Her face is red & tear stained, pouting slightly. And I’m instantly reminded of Erin at that age. With my heart breaking, I lift her up & press her against my chest. Her little hands tightly hold my hoodie as I hold her close, fingers stroking through her hair as I rock from side to side.

“Hey, it’s okay, Felicity,” I softly say, before pressing a long kiss to her head.

“Mark,” Terese says.

I lift my head, finding her on the other side of Erin. She's standing in front of the bedside table. She hesitates as she looks at me.

“You should see this,” She replies, holding out her hand.

I see there's a small bottle. Frowning, I hold Felicity in one arm still against my chest & take it from her. I examine it- shocked when I see that they're sleeping pills prescribed to Erin.

“Oh, Erin!” I sigh.

“You don't think she's…”

“She's still breathing,” I reply. “Whether she's tried to do it & we’ve found her before it could fully enact…” I sigh, shaking my head.

“What do you want to do?”

“Try & wake her,” I reply, shifting closer to her. “I wanna give her the benefit of the doubt before we call for an ambulance.”

I shift Felicity so I can hold her in my left arm & reach across Erin to hold her left shoulder.

“Erin,” I say, slightly squeezing her shoulder. “Erin, wake up.”

****

“Hey, don't you have class?” I say, answering her call.

“Hey, I got a free period, so I thought I’d check in,” She replies. “How's the search?”

I sigh. “I’ve tried everywhere I can think of that she goes to think here, &… Nothing.”

“I’m sorry,” She replies. “Maybe call Mark? See if he's had any luck?”

“And risk him finding out I’ve gone against his orders?”

“You're just checking in with him,” She replies. “Being a concerned baby brother.”

“Don't call me baby,” I reply. “At least… not in that context.”

“So call him.”

I sigh. “Maybe.”

****

“Erin, come on,” Mark says. “Wake up for me, Aer.”

I force my eyes open, getting them halfway open before they drop shut. Why should I face the pain when I could just stay asleep? But the sound of Felicity's whimpers draws me back. And it all hits me- my attempt to get a decent amount of sleep has scared her.

I force my eyes open, blinded by the sunlight. I focus on Mark, who is kneeling beside my right side. He smiles & then sighs as he drops his head in relief.

“You scared us, Aer,” He says, looking at me.

“Sorry,” I whisper.

I look at his lap. Felicity is pressed against his chest, tightly gripping his hoodie as he supports her with his left arm. I smile at her & she snuggles further into him.

“Hey, Felicity,” he says. “It's okay. See. Mummy’s fine.”

I push myself up so I’m sitting.

“Come here, baby,” I say, holding my arms out to her.

She takes a moment, but she relinquishes her hold & reaches one hand to me. Mark lets her go, & she slides partly down his thighs into my arms. I pull her against me, wrapping my arms around her & she snuggles her face into the crook of my neck as I rest my head on top of hers.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I say, before kissing her.

“What happened?” Mark asks.

“Not now, Mark.”

“You don't get to shut me out,” he replies. “Not after I’ve just had to track you down & find you unconscious while your daughter screams.”

I sigh. “Things… Got to me last night,” I reply. “I’m not going to go into details, considering Felicity is here… But… It got too much for me. I nearly did something far worse than this. I barely slept, & I feel so…” I sigh. “As much as I love being with family, I can't stand being in that house any longer. So I packed up & left this morning.”

“When were you going to tell me?”

“I intended on contacting you once I knew where I was going to be,” I reply. “Except I was tired. And I decided to come here & sleep.”

“So… You weren't…”

I look confused. Then it hits me. “Trying to overdose?” I reply. “No.”

He slowly nods. “Felicity…”

“I know,” I reply, holding her closer. “I took the tablets to help. I thought they would help keep the nightmares at bay. I didn't think it would knock me out so fast it would scare her.”

“Oh, Aer.”

“I’m going to go,” Terese says, drawing my attention. I didn't even know she was here.

“Thanks for your help,” Mark replies.

She nods as she smiles. “Glad I could help,” She replies. “And I’m glad you're okay, Erin.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” She replies. “I’ll see you both later.”

We nod & she leaves, Mark staying quiet until the door shuts.

“I know how much our place haunts you,” he says. “And, given what's happened to you here, I really don't blame you. And I get that you want to get away from that, but… To just leave without a word?”

I look at him, tears stinging my eyes. “I guess that's why I came here,” I reply. “A part of me knew you’d check here.”

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“We’ve been through this before,” I reply. “I can't keep relying on you like that.”

“It's not a burden, Aer,” he replies. “I care about you. And to see you breaking like this…” He fights back tears. “I want you to come to me. And if you can't… Turn to Aaron or Tyler. Or Paige. We will _always_ have your back.”

I look at my lap. “I wish I had that kind of loyalty within my love life.”

“I wouldn't be so quick to say that.”

I look at him, confused. “What?”

“I have a strong feeling that you do have it,” He replies. “And I know you immediately think of him.”

I scoff. “If he did,” I reply. “He wouldn't have walked out yesterday.”

“He was hurt,” he replies. “But… He’ll see things the way he needs to now.”

I narrow my eyes. “Why do I get the sense you know more than I do?”

He smirks slightly. “Agree to come home & you’ll find out.”

I roll my eyes. “You're mean, you know that?” I ask. “This is emotional blackmail.”

“You have a home & a support system here. So just come with me.”

I sigh. “Alright.”

He smiles.

“But I get to decide if I leave,” I reply, pointing at him. “I’m not going to be made to stay.”

He holds his hands up in defeat. “I accept that,” he replies. “However, I know that, despite all of the things that make you so freaked out that you want to run away, I know that you love being here with us. And I know that that’s going to win you over.”

“We’ll see.”

“In the meantime,” he says, shifting closer & turning to face the end of the bed. “I’m here for you, Erin. Even if it's just to make you smile, or a shoulder to cry on.”

I smile as he puts his arm around me. I rest my head on his shoulder & he rests his head against mine.

****

I step out into the hallway, leaving Erin to gather her things. I’d told her I was going to call Aaron, Paige & Tyler to let them know she was okay, but that was a guise. I send Aaron & Tyler a group text, & a separate one to Paige since I needed to say I’m bringing Erin & Felicity home. I would have called, but I need as much time to make another call.

“Hey mate,” I say into my mobile. “Look, I don't have time. I’m with Erin.” I smile. “Yeah, she's fine. So’s Felicity. But I need to be quick. She doesn't know I’m calling you.”

****

Mark pulls into our driveway. He’d insisted on driving Felicity & I home in his car- presumably to ensure I do make it home. I’ve got my head down, wanting to avoid seeing the house for as long as possible. I know I agreed to come back, but… This place still holds a lot of bad memories. It's going to take time before I’m happy.

“Erin,” Mark says as he stops in our driveway.

I look at him. He points ahead of us, & I slowly turn. Standing further up the driveway, half turned back to us is…

“Jay,” I whisper.

“You should talk to him.”

“But-”

“I got Felicity.”

I take a deep breath in, letting it out in a sigh. I grab my handbag, unbuckle my seatbelt & get out, shutting the door. I slowly walk over to him, resisting the urge to run into his arms. I just want him back. But I’m also scared that he’s here just to end things.

“Hey,” he says as I approach.

“Hey.”

“I’m glad that you're okay.”

I look surprised. “How did you-”

“Mark called,” He replies. “Twice.”

I look back at Mark, glaring at him as he sits in the driver's seat. “Of course he did,” I reply, looking at Jay.

“He was worried about you,” he replies. “And so was I.”

I raise my eyebrow. _Past tense_. Cuts deep. “Was?”

“I meant worried about your safety,” he explains. “You running off, making your brothers worry.”

“So _now_ you want to be worried about me.”

“Don't do that, Erin,” he replies. “Don't put up those defensive walls.”

I cross my arms. “Well, how do you expect me to react when you walked out on me yesterday?”

He swallows hard. “I’m here to talk now.”

“You may as well cut to the chase, then.”

He frowns. “What?”

“You're here to break up with me,” I reply. “Officially.”

His frown deepens. “What? Why… Why would you think that?”

“Because it's pretty obvious that you can't- & I quote- can't stand looking at me,” I reply. “So just get on with it & go.”

He shakes his head. “You're not getting rid of me that easily,” he replies. “So just let me say what I came here to say.”

I sigh. “Fine.”

“I'm sorry for walking out yesterday,” he says. “I needed the space to think.”

Exactly like Mark & Tyler said.

“You should understand what it feels like to be blindsided by a confession like that.”

I drop my head, staring at my crossed arms as I fight the guilt. _He really is breaking up with me._

“As much as I hate the idea of you being with someone else, I know that you were…” He sighs. “That it's nothing more than a rebound. And I’m not going to let it come between us. Because you're the woman that I’m madly in love with.”

I raise my head, shocked & fighting back tears. “W-what?”

“You heard me, Erin.”

I struggle to speak, finding myself smiling slightly. “Say it again.”

“Because you're the woman that I’m madly in love with,” he replies. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, & I’m not going to walk away from that because-”

I step forward, gripping his jacket with both my hands & press my lips against his, cutting him off. He's surprised for a few seconds, but kisses me back as he places his hands on my waist & pulls me into him.

We don't part until both of us are breathless. He rests his forehead against mine.

“I just want you,” he whispers, squeezing my hips. “I want you, & Felicity, &… I want to put all of this behind us, & start looking towards the future.”

I nuzzle his nose with mine. “Sounds good.”

I can feel his smile. “Good,” he whispers, before kissing me.

I press myself against him, both of us moaning… The sound of a car door shutting breaking us apart. We look towards Mark’s car- the back door open, & I can just make out through the windscreen Mark’s getting Felicity out of her seat. I bite my bottom lip as I drop my head, resting my forehead on his shoulder. Jay chuckles, fingers slipping under my shirt. I sigh contentedly. _It's so good having him touch me again_.

“Mummmyyyyyy!!!!” Felicity says.

I lift my head. “Duty calls.”

“Go get that beautiful little girl,” he says. “Or I will.”

“Oh, well now I wanna send you...”

He takes hold of my shoulders & turns me towards the car.

“She's calling for _you_.”

I groan. “I don't want to leave you,” I reply, slipping my hand into his.

I pull him over with me.

****

Mark, Jay, Felicity & I are sitting on the couch- Felicity snuggled on Jay’s lap- when Tyler gets home. Without a word, he comes over & hugs me from behind. I look in shock at Mark & Jay, my eyes wide as Tyler continues to hug me. He kisses my temple.

“I’m glad you're back,” he whispers.

“I’m questioning if it was a good idea,” I reply.

He doesn't let go, so I give his cheek a gentle double tap.

“Can we talk for a minute?” He asks as he lets go. “In the kitchen?”

I nod. I get up & follow him to the kitchen.

“I just… Wanted to check.”

“Check what?”

He sighs, looking awkward.

“Ty,” I say. “I’m not a mind reader. So can you please just say it?”

He swallows hard. “I couldn't help thinking that…” He presses his lips together. “What I said yesterday… About… You know…”

I smile reassuringly at him. “That wasn't why I left,” I reply. “So… Relax.”

He sighs, smiling in relief. “Good.”

"Thank you for being worried, though."

He smiles more. “Always,” he replies, pulling me in for a hug.

****

“How did you get her to come back?” Aaron asks, as Tyler, him & me clean up after dinner.

Paige is checking our babies, while Jay & Erin sit in the lounge.

“I told her that she could always turn to us for support,” I reply. “But it was actually hinting about Jay that ended up being what talked her round.”

They both raise their eyebrows.

“She seriously stopped running away because of one of the reasons she was running away in the first place?” Tyler asks.

“Well… It may have been the fact she was pretty exhausted,” I reply. “I don't think she had the energy to fight me on it.”

"Well... I'm sure she appreciates how far you went for her.”

I smile. “She should also be thankful I reached out to him.”

“You called him?” Aaron asks.

I nod. “Out of desperation,” I reply. “Thought there was an incredibly long shot, but… She may have gone to him. It was crazy, but… Worth checking. And I heard how worried he was about her. I could tell he wanted another chance to talk to her.”

Aaron smirks. “So it wasn't just a coincidence that he was here when you got home.”

I smirk at him.

He lightly hits my arm. “You sneaky love matchmaker!”

With the cleaning up done, we head into the lounge. Jay’s sitting in the armchair, Erin sitting across his lap. At first look, it seems like she's just resting her head on his right shoulder, but she's struggling to stay awake. Jay’s tracing patterns on her hip, his head rested against hers.

“You two should head to bed,” I say, as I sit down.

Jay looks at me, opens his mouth-

“I’m not tired,” Erin replies, without lifting her head.

“I’d believe you more if you weren't sitting the way you are.”

She bats the air in my direction, like she's hitting me.

“Actually, maybe having an early night wouldn't be so bad,” Jay replies.

She sits up & looks at him. “Really?”

He leans forward, whispering something to her, his hand sliding under the back of her shirt. She bites her lip & he smirks. She turns to us.

“We're gonna call it a night,” She says.

Tyler & Aaron stifle laughter.

“Sleep well,” I reply as Erin & Jay get up.

Erin nods. “Bye,” she mouths, waving at us as she leads Jay away.

We all wave back. Paige coming out just as they're heading to the bedrooms.

“Hey, how are our little ones?” I ask.

“Sleeping like angels,” She replies, sitting down in the armchair.

****

I close the door to my room & turn around. Jay cups my cheeks & kisses me. He pushes me back, pressing my back against the wall beside the door & I wrap my arms around his neck as I moan. He lowers his hands, sliding them down my sides & then lifts me up. He carries me over to my bed & lays us down. I wrap my legs around his hips, & grind my hips against him. He moans.

I pull his shirt up & he pulls it all the way off. He tosses it aside & slides his hands under my shirt. He flips us, stripping me of my shirt & tosses it aside. Holding me close, he pushes himself up so he’s sitting & I’m straddling him. He pulls back, breaking our kiss, & just stares at me.

“You're so beautiful,” he whispers as he tucks my hair behind my ear. “I never want to lose you again.”

I smile. “You won't,” I whisper back as I cup his cheeks.

I close the gap, pressing my lips against his. He pulls me closer, one hand slipping into my hair. I moan as I accidentally grind against him.

“Normally I’m all for the foreplay teasing,” I whisper, lips brushing against his. “But I want you right now.”

“Good,” he whispers back. “I wasn't planning on teasing.”

We strip off the remainder of our clothes, & he lies me down, my head on my pillow. He pushes into me, both of us sighing contentedly as he slides all the way in.

I slide my fingers into his hair at the nape of his neck, capturing his lips as he slowly thrusts into me. He slides a hand down my chest & rubs my clit. I gasp against his lips, arching my back & he smirks.

“Faster, baby,” I whisper.

“But we need to stay quiet,” he whispers back.

“Screw being quiet,” I reply. “Make me scream.”

He kisses my neck. “As you wish.”

He wraps his arm around me, his other still rubbing my clit, & flips us. He loosens his hold, letting me sit up further & I moan as he sinks further into me. I ride him, building a much faster rhythm as he plays with my clit.

I close my eyes as I reach up & play with my breasts, smirking when he lets out a guttural growl. I moan as my climax builds. Needing to hit that high so bad, I slide my right hand down my stomach & slide my hand over his. I guide his hand, teasing me so much my hips jerk forward. I cry out as I climax, dropping my hand from my breasts to his chest to support me as I come down- moaning as his hits. He pulls me down, wrapping one arm around me to hold me flush against me & cups my cheek with the other, capturing my lips as we both come down.

****

He settles behind me, arms wrapping around me to keep me close, & kisses the back of my left shoulder. I sigh, relaxing back against his chest. He lazily traces patterns on my left side.

“This is where I always want to be,” he softly says. “With you.”

“Mmmm same,” I reply.

He kisses my shoulder again. I fall asleep in the warmth of his arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin's okay. She & Jay have worked things out. But there's still burning questions- how will things be with Ned? What does Tyler know about Erin's past that makes her so scared to name a man?


	70. In The Heat Of Passion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As family life settles once again in the Brennan house, the passion is reignited for the youngest couple. And Ned makes a new start... but will it backfire?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unashamedly spruiking a smut chapter here...

Paige & I walk into the living area, Felicity in my arms, to find all my brothers & Jay in nothing but their boxers. Both of us stop dead & stare at them as Mark & Jay get breakfast while Tyler & Aaron settle at the dining table with their breakfasts.

“Oh, look Paige!” I say, sarcastically. “All the men have run out of clothes!”

“Feel free to join us,” Tyler sarcastically replies.

I scrunch up my nose. “I know you're joking, but… _Ewwwww_.”

Jay crosses to me, giving Felicity a little tickle & she giggles.

“Go get her settled at the table, I’ll bring her food over soon,” he says.

“Awww look at you two!!” Paige says. “Already back to being a cute domesticated family.”

“So what if I wanna spoil my two most important ladies?”

“It's very much appreciated by us,” I reply, before giving him a quick kiss.

“How are the twins?” Mark asks, as I follow Paige over to the table.

“Sleeping,” Paige replies as she sits down next to Tyler.

“That's good,” Mark replies as I sit down next to Aaron, settling Felicity on my lap.

“I don't know how you two do it,” I reply. “Have two babies at once.”

“It helps I have your amazing brother,” Paige replies, looking over to Mark, who smiles.

“You thinking of giving Felicity a sibling?” Aaron asks.

He’s caught me by surprise with this.

“Someday, she will,” Jay replies, saving me, as he places Felicity & my drinks on the table.

“Yeah, when Felicity's a little older,” I add. I look at Jay & mouth, “Thank you.”

He smiles before heading back to the kitchen.

“Have you thought about godparents yet?” Aaron asks Paige.

“Godparents?” Paige asks, eyebrow raised. “Isn't that a little… Religiousy?”

“It doesn't have to be,” I reply.

“Okay… Who's Felicity's?”

I hesitate. “Well… I… Uh… Have never said so, but…” I look at my brothers. “You three.”

They all look surprised.

“I did want to offend anyone by just choosing one,” I explain.

“Why don't we do that for Lilly & Scott?” Paige asks. “Have you three as their godparents?” She hesitates. “And Jay.”

“Nice note of hesitation there, Paige,” Tyler replies.

“I just…” She stammers.

“It's fine, Paige,” Jay replies from the kitchen. “I get it. You're wondering if I’ll be a part of this family long enough to be considered being a godparent.”

“Well, it's gonna take something like death to get rid of you,” I reply. “I mean… I’ve tried kicking you out several times already, & you're still here.”

He smirks as he brings our food over. He sits down my food & Felicity’s as he says, “Good thing I know you're joking.”

“Who says I am?”

“Well, in that case…” He picks my plate up.

I roll my eyes. He puts it back down with a smirk, before kissing my forehead.

****

Xanthe & I go to _Harold’s_ after school. We’re talking as we cross to the counter, but I see Tyler sitting at a table having a coffee. I smile  & wave at him & he smiles & waves back. Xanthe & I order our coffees & cakes, & then Xanthe pivots & crosses to Tyler. She sits down without a word.

“What are you doing?” I ask, crossing to them.

“What?” She replies. “We both know you were about to ask me if we could join him. I was just saving us some time.”

I sit down next to Tyler. He leans over & presses his lips to mine.

“Urgh!” Xanthe says, making us pull apart. “Enough with the PDAs.”

“You were the one who wanted us to sit here,” I reply.

“Because if we sat somewhere else, I know you two would make lovey eyes at each other & I’m not interested in being ignored by my friend!”

****

We sit there, talking & eating. Just as I’m finishing my delicious cake, he leans over. He kisses my neck as his hand rubs my right thigh, sliding up under my skirt.

“Don’t!” I whisper, fighting a moan.

He smirks, lips brushing my neck. “Don’t what?”

I reach down & push his hand back. Tyler sits back into his chair. Xanthe is busy in a babble about who knows what, seemingly oblivious to us. A few minutes later, I feel my skirt ride up… his fingers brush over my undies right over my sex. I gasp, involuntarily jumping which bumps the table.

“Are you okay?” Xanthe asks.

“Yeah,” I reply. I look at Tyler, finding him fighting to stifle laughter. “I just… had a chill.”

****

“Stop it,” I hiss into his ear. He’s been touching me for a while now. “You’re making me want you.”

“That’s the point,” he whispers back, fingers grazing my inner thigh once more, getting oh so close to my undies & I inhale sharply.

“Okay, either you two stop whatever the hell you’re doing to each other,” Xanthe says. “Or I’m outta here. I’m not getting ignored.”

“Actually, that reminds me,” Tyler replies. “Pipes, you promised you’d look over the books.”

“I did?” I reply, confused.

His fingers rub close to my undies, his eyes blown with desire, & that’s enough for me to get what he’s trying to do.

“Riiiight,” I reply. “I totally did! Forgot that I did.”

Xanthe rolls her eyes. “Pathetic,” She says. “Both of you.”

“I’ll make it up to you,” I reply, as I grab my schoolbag.

“You better make it big!” She replies.

I nod. “Of course,” I reply, as Tyler pulls me towards the door.

****

It’s night when we reach the garage. I follow him in through the side door, pulling it shut & locking it. I turn around, finding him right there. He hasn’t turned on the light, to give us privacy, so I can only just see him by the light from the forecourt. He cups my cheek & leans down, slowly kissing me as I dump my bag on the floor & wrap my arms around his neck. He pushes me backward, my back hitting the metal door & I moan as he pins me to it with his body.

He pulls off my skirt, letting it pool at my feet. He drops to his knees as he slides his hands down my sides. He cups my sex & I moan as he rubs me, the heel of his hand rubbing my undies against my clit. He smirks, fingers hooking the top of my undies & he slides them down to my knees, before letting them drop to my ankles.

I gasp as his lips brush my sex. Then his tongue & my legs buckle. So he lifts my right leg up, draping it over his right shoulder before he dips his tongue into my folds & drags it slowly through my folds, barely missing my clit.

I dig my hands into his hair as he licks me towards my high. I’m moaning constantly, it not taking long for me to hit my high & he grips my hips to steady me as my whole body shakes as I ride it out. His licks slow as I come down, his lips never leaving me until I still.

He lowers my leg off his shoulder & rises, his hands immediately cupping my face & pulls me into a kiss. I moan into his mouth, tasting myself on his lips & tongue. I reach down, rubbing his jeans over his erection. He moans, hips jerking forward into my hand. I pull his jacket & shirt off, dropping them on the floor as he tugs my blazer off. He lets it drop, fingers making quick work on undoing my tie before unbuttoning my blouse. He pushes it open as he makes a trail of kisses from my neck down to my breasts. He kisses & licks my skin as he pulls off my blouse & tie. He hooks an arm around my waist, pulling me close to him as he still kisses my cleavage.

He reaches between us, rubbing my sex & I barely notice when he unclasps my bra. He pulls it off me, his hand still rubbing my sex.

“Tyler,” I moan.

“Yes?” He whispers.

I unbuckle his belt, unbutton & unzip his jeans & push them down. I reach into his boxers, taking hold of his length & rub it. My thumb brushes over the head & he moans.

He turns me around, placing my hands on the wall & nudges me feet ever so slightly wider. There’s a moment of silence, only broken by the noise of his belt buckle hitting the floor & I know he’s pulled his jeans & boxers off. He rubs over my sex, making me moan. He pushes just the head of his length into me & I bite back another moan. He grips his my hips as he pushes inside. He holds my hips for a minute against his, so he’s all the way into me… then pulls back before thrusting hard, & I cry out as I tilt my head back.

He reaches around me, fingers grazing my stomach & then his fingers reach my clit.

“ _Fuuuck_!” I moan, pushing my hips back.

He reaches his other hand up, squeezing my right nipple & my knees buckle.

“Come on baby,” he says. “Let it hit.”

I shake my head. “I can last.”

He flicks my clit & my knees shake as I moan. He thrusts hard & I orgasm, collapsing into his hands.

“Good, babe.” He says, leaning over to kiss my shoulder.

He lets me come down, before letting me go. He pulls out of me & I whimper. He slips his hand into mine, leading me across the garage to his desk. He sits down & pulls me closer. But instead of straddling his lap, I kneel down between his legs. I take hold of his length, holding it steady as I bring my lips to it. I lick the head & he moans. I slide him into my mouth, moaning as I taste a mix of myself & him. I suck him, sliding him in & out until his arms grip the armrests tightly.

“Pipes,” he moans, hips jerking up.

I keep sucking. He eventually cups my face & lifts me off him. He pulls me towards him, making me straddle him. He guides me down, both of us sighing contentedly as he slides into me again.

“No stopping until you come,” I say.

He smirks. “If you can hold on that long.”

I lift myself up & then drop back down. He moans loudly & I smirk as I ride him. He grips my hips & tries to slow my pace, but I keep going undeterred. He leans forward & captures my left nipple in his mouth. I moan as he plays with it, grinding my hips every time I sink down. He kneads my hips against his, making me grind even harder & we both moan loudly.

“Oh, fuck yes!” He moans, letting go of my breast.

“Come for me, babe,” I whisper.

He shakes his head. So I push my hips down harder. He lowers his head, biting the top of my left breast as I feel him explode in me. Mine hits seconds later & I collapse onto him.

****

A pretty, blonde, young woman is sitting at the bar. Looking sad, her head bowed. So I cross to her.

“What can I get you?” I ask.

“I’m not interested in being flirted with,” she replies, not looking up at me.

“Good thing I’m the barman, then.”

She looks up. “Oh my god! I’m sorry!”

I smile. “It's fine. Easy mistake,” I reply. “Now… Your choice. On the house.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Seriously? After I just did what I did?”

“You look sad.”

“Wow. Charming.”

“I just mean… You need a drink,” I reply. “So why don't you tell me what you’d like, I’ll get it for you on the house, & then you can tell me what has you looking so mopey.”

“Why are you being so nice to me? I’m nothing more than a stranger to you.”

I shrug. “You seem like you need someone to talk to.”

****

I sigh as I stare at my mobile, resisting the urge to pick it up & call him. He broke my heart, but I miss him. I miss him _soooo much_. I bring up my contacts, scrolling down to his name- Logan.

“Want another?” The handsome barman asks just as my finger hovers over the call button.

I look at him as I quickly shut the cover on my mobile. “Uh… No. I'm fine.”

He nods. “Good, cause I would have to pay for it.”

I narrow my eyes in confusion.

He leans in closer to me. “I just finished work.”

“Ohhhhh.”

“How about some company?” He asks. “Or do you have an important drunken call?”

“I’m not drunk.”

“Oh really?” He asks, raising an eyebrow. “So how come you were an inch away from calling Logan, who I’m assuming is the reason why you look so sad?”

I gape. “How dare you look at my phone!”

He raises his hands up in defeat. “It's my obligation to look after all patrons,” he replies. “You know, keep them from making mistakes while under the influence of alcohol.”

“That you served.”

“Exactly why I need to look after them.”

I smile, before downing the rest of my white wine. I slide the empty glass across the table to him. He looks at it & then raises his eyebrow as he looks at me.

“I’m off the clock now,” he says.

“I know,” I reply. “I changed my mind about getting another one.”

He narrows his eyes. “I’ll get you another one,” he replies. “But on one condition.”

“It better be that you're going to join me.”

He smirks. “I thought you weren't in the mood to flirt.”

“I wasn't earlier.”

His smirk grows. “One white wine coming up.”

I watch as he takes the glass to the bar. I’m happy he interrupted. Soon enough, he's returning with my white wine & a beer for himself.

“There you go,” he says, sitting it down on the table.

“Thanks.”

“You're welcome,” he replies, sitting on the stool across from me.

“I just realised… I don't know your name.”

He smiles. “Ned Willis.”

I smile. “Nice to meet you, Ned,” I reply. I extend my hand out as I add, “I’m Madison Robinson.”

“It's nice to meet you too, Madison,” he replies as he shakes my hand. “Robinson. You wouldn't happen to be… In any way… Related to… Paul Robinson?”

I raise my eyebrow. “You know my Uncle?”

“Most people here do.”

“Right.”

“Well, there's another thing I know about you,” he replies. “You're in town to see your Uncle, while trying to escape a break-up.”

“And what about you?”

He sighs. “It's a long story.”

“Good thing I have the rest of the night then.”

He smirks.

****

Before I know it, the pub is empty & the barman is giving Ned a signal for us to go.

“How about I walk you back to your room?” He asks, turning to me.

“You don't think I can make it to _Lassiter's_ on my own?”

“Never,” He replies. “Just thought you’d like the company.”

“You really do think you're charming, don't you?”

“Says the one who just spent the night talking to me.”

I shake my head. I down the last of my wine & hop off the stool. I start towards the door, but stop when he doesn't follow. I half turn back. “Are you coming?”

He smirks before quickly downing the end of his beer & then joins me. He even holds the door open for me. We walk in silence across the courtyard. He holds the door into the foyer open for me, walking me over to the lift.

“Thank you,” I say as I turn to him. “For not only walking me here, but… For everything.”

“You're welcome,” he replies with a smile. “Maybe we’ll see each other again soon.”

“Maybe.”

“Goodnight, Madison.”

“Night, Ned.”

He turns around, taking a few steps to the door.

“Wait! Ned!”

He stops & turns back around.

“Here's a crazy thought…”

He raises an eyebrow. “No such thing,” he replies. “If it's coming from you.”

I smile, bowing my head slightly, staring at my feet to hide the blush. “Would you like to join me?”

“Say that again,” he replies. “But this time… Look at me.”

It takes me a minute to get the courage to do so. I raise my head, meeting his eyes just as he steps close to me.

“Would you… Like to join me?”

The look of desire in his eyes is all the answer I need.

****

I wrap my arms around her waist as we stand in the _Lassiter’s_ lift, closing my eyes as I inhale her sweet scent- a mix of her shampoo  & perfume. I can’t wait to hold her naked body. I kiss the base of her neck & she moans.

The doors open on our level, & I let her go. She leads me down to the door to our room. I slip my hands under her top, digging my fingers into her skin at the top of her hips as she unlocks the door. She squeals then laughs as I push her inside, pinning her back to the wall as the door swings shut. I capture her lips hungrily.

“I don’t normally do this,” She softly says.

“Do what?” I ask.

“Sleep with a stranger.”

I raise my eyebrow at her. “Am I a stranger?”

“I barely know you.”

I smirk. “I guess we should get to know each other,” I reply, before kissing her neck.

I hold her hips, fingers squeezing her butt & she moans. She slides her hands into my hair & pulls me back just far enough to crash my lips against hers. I unbutton & unzip her jeans, slipping my hand inside & rub her. She moans into my mouth as I rub, & I can’t wait to rip that sound from her over & over & over.

I step back, bringing her with me & walk her over to the bed, still rubbing her. With my free hand, I pull her shirt off & then push her jeans further down before tipping us so we fall onto the bed. I push her over so she’s lying on her back, push her undies aside & push two fingers into her. She moans as I push them all the way inside. I move my fingers in & out of her, her back arching, pushing my fingers deep inside her.

“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I whisper in her ear.

She reaches down & takes hold of my crotch, her nails digging into my jeans as I continue to work her. She moves her hips as I pump my fingers in & out of her. She lets out a long moan as she comes, & I kiss her neck as she comes down.

I pull out of her, bringing my fingers up & suck them. I moan as I taste her, & I want to pull her on top of me & lick her sex until she comes again. But she has other plans- getting to her knees beside my hips. She tugs my shirt up & I take it off. I toss it aside as her fingers move to my belt, swiftly unbuckling it, unbuttoning my jeans & unzipping them. She bites her lips as she sees my bulge, fingers lightly stroking it before they slip under the top of my boxers. She wraps her fingers around my length & I moan as she rubs up & down my length. Her thumb rubs the head & my hips jerk.

She lets go & pulls my jeans & boxers down. She takes hold of me again, rubbing me a little harder & I moan even louder. She bends down & slowly runs the tip of her tongue around the head. She slips me into her mouth & doesn’t hesitate to bob her head up & down as she rubs the rest of my length.

I push myself up & unclasp her bra with my left hand. I push the cup out of my way & squeeze her right breast. I knead it with the heel of my hand, digging my fingers into the other side as I relax my heel, my length vibrating as she moans.

I swap to my right hand, playing with her breast as I reach down to her butt. I cup her right cheek & take the same action as my other hand. I then slip my hand down, rubbing her undies & she moans again.

She shrugs her bra off as she sucks me, tossing it aside & I tug her undies off- she raises one knee at a time so I can pull them completely off & toss them aside. It takes a bit of effort, but I get my pants & boxers off too.

Feeling my climax coming, I grab her hair & pull her up, my length leaving her mouth with a loud pop. I lift her up to meet my lips, her hand still holding me. I lie back down, pulling her with me & she straddles me. She holds my length steady & guides herself onto me. She bites her lip as she sinks all the way down, hands resting on my chest as she steadies herself.

“Are you gonna sit there,” I say. “Or keep going?”

“Can’t I enjoy this for a minute?” She asks. “I’ve never been with one so… big.”

I smirk. “Well, then,” I reply. “Let’s show you how much fun it can be.”

I push my hips up & she gasps. I smirk as I lower my hips, pushing out of her a little. She rides me, building a steady rhythm, moaning as she moves up & down. I reach up & play with her breasts & she shakes. She supports herself on one hand, reaching down & playing with her clit as she rides me.

“Oh god… ohhhh!” She moans, grinding herself against me.

I push my hips up to meet her as she sinks down, both of us moaning. She cries out as she comes, her whole body shaking. She pants as she slows her movements, dropping her hand from her clit to my chest, her nails scraping my skin as she struggles to come down from her high. I drop my hands to her hips & push her down onto me, making her whimper. But I need the pressure to tip me over the edge, & I moan as I explode in her.

She slips off me, control collapsing onto the bed beside me. She looks so beautiful lying there on her side, her blonde curls half over her face, eyes closed as she tries to slow her breathing. And I feel myself hardening again. _I need her again_. I let her recover enough that her breathing is normal, before shifting closer. I push up onto my knees  & roll her onto her front.

****

He holds my hips with both hands, lifting my hips up & I instinctively shift onto my knees. He nudges my hips apart & I feel the bed shift as he kneels between my legs. I moan as he pushes inside me, easily sliding all the way in. He stops, holding still for a minute when I’m pressed up hard against his hips. I can’t believe how amazing it feels to have him fill me like this! He pulls back & then thrusts. I grip the sheets as I moan, his thrusts so hard I think I’ll come right now.

I rock my hips back, meeting his as he thrusts & he moans. He reaches around my hip & flicks my clit- I cry out, falling off the cliff & bury my face into the sheets as I struggle with it. He keeps thrusting, working me to one more orgasm before his hits.

He collapses onto the bed beside me, slipping out of me as I come down. He lightly smacks my butt & I moan.

“Worth taking the risk of fucking a stranger?” He asks, panting.

I nod as I lie down, too exhausted to talk.

“Good,” he replies, leaning in & kisses me.

****

I wake to her kissing me, my eyes slowly opening. All I see is lightly curled blonde hair & the top of her head as she kisses down my chest. She’s making her way down to my length, both of us still naked from our night of passion, & I know she’s intending on blowing me.

“Mmmm, morning Aer,” I mumble, closing my eyes.

She freezes.

I open my eyes.

She lifts her head.

_Not Erin_.

“Aer?” She asks.

And it hits me.

Madison.

_Fuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh oh! What will Ned say to fix things?


	71. Rekindle The Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned deals with the fallout from his slip up, & Paige & Mark are given the opportunity to have some much needed time alone. Meanwhile, Erin & Jay take a surprising step forward, & Ned is faced with a shock proposition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big chapter! Cause it kinda got away from me. (Not really... it just took along time to go through what I wanted to put in this chapter.)

I climb off him, the need to have him deep inside me again gone. I’m in shock. _I can't believe he said that!_

“Madison,” he pleads, reaching for me but I shift further away.

“I’m guessing that's her name,” I reply. “The woman you're trying to get over.”

He sighs. “Yeah,” he replies. “Her name's Erin.”

“Right.”

“It was an accident,” he says. “It's just… You…” He sighs. “It slipped out.”

“Why?”

“What?”

“What triggered it?” I ask. “What made you say her name?”

He hesitates. Swallows hard. “Your… hair.”

I raise my eyebrow. “My _hair_?”

He nods. “Same colour as her.”

“Riiight,” I reply. “So that's why you came to me last night. Why you were flirting so much. Because I look like her.”

“Madison,” he pleads.

“Is that your plan?” I ask. “Use me to fulfil your little fantasy of still being with her?”

“Honestly, Madison. It was nothing but a mistake.”

Tears sting the back of my eyes. “You need to go.”

“No, I meant me saying her name,” he says, shifting closer. “You're so beautiful, Maddy.”

“You still need to go.”

He hesitates. He swallows hard, nods & then gets up. I bite back a moan as I see his naked body- as much as I need & want him, I can't. I'm _not_ getting used like this!

He turns to me when he's dressed.

“Maddy-”

“Just _go!_ ”

He turns & leaves. I wait until the door shuts before crawling over to the pillows. I lie down on my side, gripping the pillow tightly as I let the tears fall.

****

“Good morning,” I say, walking into the kitchen as Paige & Mark are eating breakfast at the dining table.

“Someone's happy,” Paige replies.

I shrug. “Things are finally looking up for me.”

Mark smiles. “It's good to hear that.”

I smile. “I think I need to stay clear of anything that causes as much trouble as I’ve been through the last few weeks,” I reply as I cross to them. I sit down at the table. “Anyway… what have you got planned for today?”

“I’ve got the day off, so we’re just going to have a day with our twins,” he replies. He frowns. “Why?”

“Well…” I reply, bringing my leg up to my chest, my foot resting on the chair. “Back in Adelaide, I worked with this guy named Cameron. He now works as the Assistant Manager of a hotel in the city. And he texted me this morning. He knows I’m now living here, & he wanted to see if I was interested in spending a night in one of their… very expensive rooms.”

“He knows you have a boyfriend, right?” He asks.

“Yes,” I reply, giving him a look. “We’re just friends. Anyway… The hotel offers it’s higher ranked staff massive discounts on rooms, except that there’s expiry dates on it so the staff don't stockpile it to use all at once. And he has a deadline on one in a few days, but he’s busy & doesn’t want to let it go to waste, so… he was wondering if I wanted it.”

He frowns. “That's an awful lot to say in a text.”

“It was a text saying he’d emailed me.”

“You should take him up on it,” he replies. “You deserve a night away with Jay.”

I force a smile. “As much as I love the sound of that… I was thinking you two should take up the offer.”

Mark raises his eyebrow. “It's yours.”

“I know,” I reply. “But… you’ve helped me out soooo much lately, & between all of my drama & the twins… I thought you two deserve some time to unwind.” I look between the both of them. “Alone.”

Mark looks at Paige. “What do you think?”

“I don't know.”

“Consider it a thank you for putting up with my crazy life.”

“Hey, we’re family,” Mark replies, placing a hand on mine. “I’m _always_ going to help my family.”

I smile. “And I appreciate it,” I reply. “But just go do this. Have a night away in a _really_ good room with an _amazing_ view.”

Paige frowns. “How do you know that?”

“Cam sent me a few photos of the room,” I reply. “To tempt me.”

“Alright,” Paige says. “We’ll do this.”

I grin. “Awesome!” I reply. “I’ll give him a call. Get it all sorted.”

“Hey,” Mark says as I stand. “Thanks.”

“No worries.”

****

I’m helping Felicity with her breakfast as I talk to Paige & Mark when Erin comes in from the backyard. She's grinning as she crosses to us.

“So, it's all booked,” She says, stepping up beside Mark’s left side. “It's in your name,” She adds, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Cameron’s gonna meet you at reception. He says given how it's all going to paid by him, he needs to be there to make sure the check in works.”

“Wait,” Mark says, surprised. “He’s paying for _everything_?”

Erin nods. “I tried telling him not to, but… he insisted,” she replies. “You're more than welcome to try it in person, but he has a stubborn streak. And I dunno if you will… when you hear that he's got you access to a _lot_ of the services. Including their spa  & the restaurant near the top of the building, with an _amazing_ chef.”

“Well… we can't turn that down,” Paige says. “He’s being so generous.”

Erin nods. “Yeah,” She replies, looking slightly awkward. “I may have mentioned your honeymoon… & how it was… that it didn't go so well.”

“You _what_?” Mark replies.

“Don't worry. I didn't give details,” Erin replies. “My point is, he wants to give you the best time so you can have a second honeymoon. Which is why he was so insistent on getting everything charged to him.”

“You really do have a good friend,” I say.

Erin shrugs. “He likes to spoil me.”

I frown slightly. “He wouldn't happen to be…”

“No! God, no! We never dated,” She replies. “It's just… I had a rough time around the time we met, & he was there when I was struggling. I could turn to him for support. Especially when I was struggling to make ends meet when this little one came along.” She tickles Felicity, who giggles. “And that's actually why he contacted me about the room.”

“Well, I’ll have to thank him for being there for you,” Mark replies. “Though I am upset that you didn't reach out to me if you were having financial issues.”

“You were already a cop by then. It didn't feel right.”

“Hey,” he replies, putting an arm around her waist. “How many times do I have to tell you that I will _always_ help you when you need it?”

She rolls her eyes slightly. “Anyway… he also says you can stay tomorrow night too. The room’s not booked, so you can stay. And I’ll give you his personal number too. He says he's happy to have you call him if you have any trouble.”

“Damn, I wish he was family,” Paige says.

“Not too late for that,” Mark adds.

Erin digs her fingers into his shoulder. “Not that it's any of your business, but… I’m not his type.”

Paige raises an eyebrow. “Even better,” she says, raising her mug. “We can set him up with Az.”

“Set who up with me?” Aaron asks as he comes over.

“Just a friend of mine,” Erin replies. “But don't worry. We’re just talking.”

“Well… I’ve actually been thinking about putting myself out there again.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Really?”

“So what do you think, Aer?” Paige asks. “Your awesome friend going on a date with your awesome brother?”

“Can you at least let them meet before you plan their entire future?”

Paige puts her hands up in surrender.

“You two can go any time you want,” Erin says. “I’ve got one meeting & then I can look after the twins.”

“But I’m free all day & at your service,” I add.

Mark looks at Paige. “Maybe we could head off shortly,” he says. “Make the most of it.”

Paige smirks. “Maybe.”

****

I sigh as I stand in the _Lassiter's_ lift, on my way up to the penthouse office. Normally Aaron handles the hotel, but he's busy & it's just showing off a few things that need to be signed off by Paul & Terese so I’m stepping in.

The doors open & I step out, heading left around the partition. I step around it, finding Terese isn't at her office. I hear her laughter from the balcony, & step towards it… Terese comes into view, standing with her back to the railing. She smiles as a man in a suit steps closer to her, & I stop mid-step as they kiss.

Feeling suddenly awkward, I turn back towards the lift. I get three steps when-

“Erin?” Terese says.

I wince before turning around. She's standing in the doorway, but my eyes drift to the man as he steps up behind her. Paul.

“Hi,” I reply, forcing a smile. “Sorry for interrupting. Aaron gave me his key, so I bypassed reception. Annnd, I’m starting to regret not calling to say I was on my way up.”

“Don't be,” Terese says. “Someone was bound to find out.”

“Well, I’m happy for you.”

“Thank you.”

Paul frowns. “What are you doing here?” He asks. “Your brother was meant to be-”

“Meeting you? Yeah, I know,” I interrupt him. “He’s busy, so he asked if I could come in his place.”

“We arranged this three days ago,” Paul replies, walking over. “He wasn't booked then.”

“And he sends his apology,” I reply. “But something else came up, & he had to prioritise. Especially when this is just a meeting to get you to sign off on a few things.”

Paul looks at Terese. “I’m going to talk to him about this.”

“Go ahead, Paul,” I reply. “But he's going to tell you the _exact_ same thing as I did. To be honest, I don't want to be here any more than you want me. But I’m Aaron’s business partner,  & I’m here in his place. So why don't you just let me do what I need to do, & then I can go & be with my daughter. Because I’m meant to be off today, & this is a huge favour for Aaron. And you're wasting time right now. Which I’m tempted to bill you for.”

Paul smirks. “You're fiercer than I thought.”

“Only when you're testing my patience, Paul,” I reply. “Though, I don't quite know _why_ you don't like me.”

He shrugs. “Maybe it's your family that I don't like.”

“Because Mark almost married your niece?”

“Part of the reason.”

“Erin,” Terese says. “You have things for us to sign off on?”

I look at her & nod. “Yes, in here,” I reply, tapping the folder in my hand.

“Let's take a look,” She replies. “Then you can enjoy the rest of your day off.”

She gestures to her desk as she crosses to it. I look at Paul, before heading to meet Terese at the desk.

“Thank you,” I say softly, as I put the folder down on the desk & open it to get the files out.

“You're welcome,” Terese softly replies. “I know how precious time is when they're younger.”

I smile. “Indeed,” I reply. “I also have to get back cause I’m looking after my niece & nephew too.”

“Awwww! That's lovely.”

“Yeah,” I reply. “Helping Mark & Paige out.”

She nods.

“How about you two stop with the chit chat, & let's do this,” Paul says.

I look at Terese & roll my eyes. She stifles laughter.

****

I put my arm around her shoulders as we head towards the reception to check in. She wraps her arm around my waist, tilting into me & I kiss her temple.

“You must be Mark & Paige,” a young man says.

We stop & I look at him with raised eyebrows. He's a little younger than me, with jet black hair & slim glasses, wearing what looks to be a very expensive suit.

“I’ve seen photos of you,” he says. “Erin was so proud of you, Mark, whenever she talked about her big brother that's a policeman.” He then notices our confusion. “Oh, I should have started with… I’m Cam.”

“Of course,” I reply. “It's nice to meet you.”

“Same,” he replies, nodding. “And I’m glad that you took me up on my offer.”

“Thank you for being so generous,” Paige says.

He smiles. “It's the least I can do for you… & Erin,” he replies. “Now. Lets get you checked in, & I’ll show you to your room.”

“Oh, you don't have to escort us up,” Paige replies.

“I want to,” he says. “I can show you around in the process.”

****

I close the front door & sigh.

“You’ve been working, what?” Jay says from the lounge. “An hour? And you look exhausted.”

I force a smile. “Working with Paul ‘I hate your family’ Robinson does that.”

“Is he really that bad?”

“Uh… _yeah_ ,” I reply, crossing to him. Scott & Lilly are in their baby swing seats, while Felicity is on the floor. Jay’s on the floor too, one of Felicity's toys in his hands. I continue as I put my things on the couch. “He’s like a nightmare. I’m glad Aaron handles _Lassiter's_.”

He smiles as I sit down on the floor.

“Me too,” he replies. “Otherwise we wouldn't have met.”

“Oh, yes, that too.”

He looks shocked, before grinning at my cheekiness.

“Mummy,” Felicity says, crawling up onto my lap.

“Hey baby!” I reply, lifting her up. I give her a kiss. “Have you been good for Jay?”

“Ya!”

“You’ve been showing me the new toys that Uncle Aaron gave you,” Jay says. “Right, princess?”

“Ya!”

I smile. “That's good!” I reply. “How about the twins?”

“Two angels,” he replies, leaning closer. “This is going to be easy.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Really?”

“Ah huh,” he softly replies, before kissing me.

****

She sighs contentedly, smiling as we make our way back to our room, having spent the afternoon in the exclusive spa.

“That massage was _heavenly_!” She says, leaning against the wall beside our door as I unlock it.

I smile at her as she steps in first. “It sure was,” I reply, following her in. “I don't think I’ve seen you this relaxed in ages.”

She turns to me as the door shuts. “Get me a massage like that more often, & you see me this way more.”

I smirk, wrapping my arms around her waist. “I don't think we can afford that.”

“You could do it,” She replies, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“I can do that,” I reply, leaning down.

“Good,” She replies, tilting her head up to meet mine & I press my lips to hers.

****

“Wow. You're getting really good at this,” I say, watching Jay pace as he rocks Lilly to sleep. Everything has gone well today, & the twins are ready to sleep. Scott’s in my arms, while Felicity plays on the floor by my feet.

He smiles at me. “I love kids.”

“Ohhhh, I know,” I reply. “You're a natural.”

“Just consider it as practice for when we have kids.”

I raise my eyebrow. “How many kids are you thinking we’ll have?”

He sits down on the couch next to me. “Depends.”

“On?”

“How many you want.”

I hesitate. “I haven't thought about it.”

“Well,” he replies. “Before you had Felicity… how many did you want?”

I swallow. “Two… maybe three?”

He smiles.

“What?”

“Don't be so scared,” he replies. “Whatever you answer… doesn't have to be definitive. It's something you can change as time goes on.”

I smile slightly. “You're too good for me.”

“No I’m not,” he replies. “We’re meant to be together.”

“Oh, god! Don't make me cry when I have hold of a baby!”

He chuckles. “Why don't we put these two to bed & then we can discuss it more?”

****

She lies down on the couch, draping her legs over my lap. She looks at Felicity, who is playing on the floor. I lean towards her, resting my chin on my hand.

“What are you thinking?”

She looks at me. “How many kids that you want.”

“I told you.”

“Nooo,” She replies. “You dodged the question.”

I sigh. “Ideally… I see myself having four.”

She raises an eyebrow.

“I consider Felicity as if she's my own,” I reply. “Just having you & that cute girl in my life is enough.”

She smiles, but she looks sad. “But what about having kids of your own?”

“I would love my own,” I reply, gently rubbing her leg. “But I also don't care if I don't.”

She take hold of my right hand, lifting it from her thigh. She stares at it for a bit, before lifting her eyes to meet mine & smiles.

“What?” I ask, smiling at her.

“Just thinking.”

“Mmmm.”

“I want to have a kid with you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah,” She replies. “You’ve always been the only one that I can imagine myself settling down with… spending the rest of my life with. Having something that's a part of both of us? It's… it makes me so happy.”

I smile. “Me too.”

“And Felicity,” She says, looking at her. “She'll be a great big sister.”

My smile grows as I look at Felicity. “She'll be the best.”

Erin smiles, looking at me. “She has a good role model.”

I look at Erin. “Yeah, her mum.”

She scoffs, smiling slightly. “I meant you.”

“I know,” I reply, leaning closer. “I just wanted you to know you are too.”

“Oh, really?”

“Ah huh,” I mutter, before pressing my lips to hers.

She cups my face, holding me as she deepens our kiss.

****

The lift doors open & I gasp as a stunning restaurant comes into view. Mark places his right hand on the small of my back & we step out. It's a classy & expensive looking place, with an amazing view of the CBD, basking in the sunset.

“Good evening,” A male waiter says. “Do you have a booking?”

“Good evening,” Mark replies. “Yes, we do. Mark Brennan.”

He nods & checks for the booking on the computer. “Table for two, yes?”

“Yes,” Mark replies.

“Please, follow me,” He replies.

We follow him as he heads to our left, making our way over to the windows. He then turns left, & we follow him around to an area we didn't know was even there. He heads for a staircase, & we stop at the base.

He turns around when he realises we’re not following. “Your table is this way.”

Mark frowns. “Are you sure?”

The waiter nods. “We have you booked in a private room,” he replies. “Mr. Doyle left us very specific instructions.”

Mark & I look at each other, confused. And it hits me.

“Cameron,” I say.

“Yes,” The waiter replies. “Now… come.”

We follow him up the stairs & turn into a room. I gasp, looking at the romantic setting & the stunning view of the city skyline.

“Oh my god!” I exclaim, crossing to the table.

Mark holds my chair as I sit down, helping me shift it in closer, before he goes around to his chair & sits down.

“Our head chef has prepared a special menu for you,” The waiter says. “Mr. Doyle wants you to have a wonderful evening.”

“Please send a message to him on our behalf,” I reply. “Thank him for us.”

He nods. “Of course, ma’am,” he replies. “I will be back shortly. In the meantime, please look over the menu. Our head chef is happy to make any changes.”

“Thank you,” Mark replies.

The waiter nods & then leaves. Mark & I look at each other.

“Your sister really knows how to spoil us,” I say.

He smiles. “I have a feeling this is all Cam’s doing.”

“She played a part,” I reply. “Don't underestimate her.”

“I never do,” he replies.

We turn our attention to the menu.

“Oh my god,” I say. “This all sounds _amazing_!”

The waiter returns several minutes later, carrying an ice bucket on a stand, followed by a waitress carrying a bottle of champagne & two glasses.

“With compliments of Mr. Doyle,” He says, putting the stand down beside our table.

He takes the bottle from the waitress, who places the glasses down on the table as he opens the bottle.

“Okay, I think I might have to call Cam & chastise him for this,” I say, as he pours us each a glass.

“Just enjoy it, babe,” Mark replies, before giving me a wink.

The waiter puts the bottle in the bucket as the waitress leaves. He then clasps his hands. “Have you looked at the menu yet?”

Mark nods. “We have,” he replies. “Paige was saying how amazing it looks.”

I nod. “I’m looking forward to every course.”

The waiter nods. “So there's no amendments?”

We both shake our heads.

“Our head chef will be delighted to hear!” He says. “I will be back with your entrees shortly.”

“Thank you,” Mark replies.

“You're welcome,” he replies with a nod. He turns to go.

“Excuse me,” I reply.

He looks at me. “Yes, ma’am.”

“If you don't mind me asking,” I reply. “What's your name?”

“Not at all, ma’am,” he replies. “My name is Jacob. And I am solely your waiter tonight.”

****

I close my eyes, letting the water cascade off my head & down my shoulders & back. The shower door opens & closes a moment later. I open my eyes, met by Jay.

“What-” I say as he cups my cheeks & cuts me off with a kiss.

He pulls me closer & I moan as I feel his erection press against me.

“We can't,” I whisper, lips brushing his.

“We have the house to ourselves,” he replies. “The kids are down for the night… I wanna have some fun.”

I lean back, raising my eyebrow. “And have Mark chastise me for the water bill?”

“Live a little, Aer,” he replies, before kissing me again. “Besides… we might even create our own little one.”

I smirk. “You're really keen on that happening.”

He smirks. “Of course I am,” he replies. “I can't wait for us to have one.”

“Me too.”

He kisses me. He turns us, pushing my back against the wall. He pulls back & just stares at me. He then drops his hands from my cheeks & I frown. He slides his hand between my legs, my breath catching in my throat as he pushes two fingers into me. He slowly thrusts them & I tilt my head back, his lips coming to my neck & kisses my skin.

I grip his hair as he continues to thrust his fingers, gasping then whimpering as he flicks my clit. I reach down with my free hand, wrapping it around his length & gently tug it. He groans, pushing his fingers all the way in & I almost come.

“Fuck me,” I moan.

“Already am,” he replies, lips brushing my neck’s skin.

“You know what I mean.”

He lifts his head, locking eyes with me. “Not yet, babe.”

“Please,” I beg. “I _need_ you.”

He smirks. He pulls almost all the way out of me, before thrusting in again- I whimper as I feel three fingers. He pumps fast & I cry out his name as I hit my high, gripping his shoulders for support when my legs shake as I come down.

He pulls out & sucks his fingers. He then lifts me up & I wrap my legs around his waist as he pins me to the wall, lips crashing against mine. Both of us moan as his erection rubs my sex. I wrap my arms around his neck & he grips my thighs. He shifts his hips, his length’s head rubbing through my folds & I moan into his mouth.

He pushes into me & we both sigh contentedly. He squeezes my butt, pushing my hips hard against his & I moan, feeling him press against my g-spot. He pulls back, hands cupping my butt to support me, & then thrusts into me. I slide my right hand into the back of his hair, gripping it as he thrusts.

He pushes all the way in, pushing my hips back against the wall as he slides his hands to under my thighs. Using his chest to keep me pinned to the wall, he thrusts quickly, small yet powerful & I break our kiss to pant as I feel my high building again.

He sucks the base of my neck & I scrape my left nails across his back from his right shoulder to his left, my right hand still in his hair. I let out a strangled cry as I fall over the edge, closing my eyes as they sting with tears. He continues, thrusting harder as I come down, groaning when he joins me. His thrusts slow as we both come down. I cup his face, pulling him up & claiming his lips with mine.

“You glad I talked you into it?” He whispers after our kiss.

“You didn't need to talk me into it,” I whisper back.

****

We clean ourselves & she reaches to turn the water off but I stop her.

“Jay?” She asks, looking over her shoulder as I take hold of her hands.

I place them on the wall in front of us at her shoulder level, before sliding my hands up her arms & down her back. Taking hold of her hips, I pull her hips back, making her bend forward. She looks over her right shoulder, frowning deeply. I push into her & she turns her head straight before tipping it back as her nails scrape the tiles. I thrust into her, moving slowly & she moans.

She pushes her hips back as I thrust into her, grinding her hips against mine & I grip her hips, trying to take control of her movements.

“Oh, fuck!” She moans as I quicken my pace.

I lean forward, wrapping my arms around her & thrust as fast as I can. I slide my left hand up & squeeze her right breast as my right slips down to rub her clit.

“Jaaaaay,” she moans as I feel her walls clench around my length.

“Come, baby,” I whisper into her ear, before nipping her earlobe. “Let it out.”

We both climax at the same time & she collapses into my hands as she comes down. I push all the way in as we come down, & press a kiss to her left shoulder, right over her tattoo. She leans forward, resting her forehead against the wall as she struggles to calm her breathing.

I pull her up, wrapping my arms around her as I hold her against my chest. I kiss her shoulder & she moans, her walls squeezing my length.

“Don't,” she whispers.

“What?” I whisper back.

“I can't,” She says, before biting back another moan. “I can't go again.”

I smirk as her walls tighten. “Your body says otherwise.”

“I’m too tired,” She whimpers, head dropping back against my shoulder.

“I’ll go slow,” I whisper in her ear.

She doesn't reply, her breathing heavy.

“Babe?”

“Alright,” She whispers. “One last time, okay?”

I kiss her cheek. I lift her up slightly, she steadies herself by placing her feet on the wall. I hold her tightly, gently thrusting up into her, pushing her downwards at the same time. She leaves her head on my shoulder, breathing heavily as she lets me do all the work.

I slide my left hand down & play with her clit. She squirms in my arms as she climaxes, her hips dropping & I groan, struggling to keep us up as I climax. I lower her & pull out. She turns around & I rest my forehead against hers.

****

He wraps his arms around my waist as I dig the card for our room’s door out of my handbag. He kisses my neck & I moan.

“Stop,” I moan.

“I want you,” He whispers, breath tickling my skin.

“Can you behave yourself until we get inside?”

“You're taking too long.”

“I can't find the damn key!”

He reaches into my handbag, digs around & then pulls his hand out a minute later- with the card.

“Oh my god!” I say. “How the hell did you do that?!”

He smirks. “Magic,” he replies, reaching over & sliding it into the slot.

It accepts the card, & he turns the handle. He pushes me forward, his chest still against my back, as he pushes the door open. I dump my handbag on a table, Mark placing the door key beside it. He spins me around to face him, cups my face with both hands & kisses me. He turns me again, pushing me back against the wall & I moan as he pushes his body against mine. He drops his hands to my sides, sliding them down to my hips. He lifts the skirt of my dress & I gasp as his fingers rub over my undies.

His other hand slides behind me, & unzips my dress. Together we pull it off my shoulders, tugging it over my hips until it can free-fall down my legs to the floor. He breaks our kiss, lips moving to my neck to kiss & suck my skin as his hand continues to rub me. I strip him of his jacket, hands moving to undo his shirt but I get halfway down the buttons when he pushes his body against me again, trapping my hands between us.

****

Her hips rock towards me, her moans loud in my ear & she just might come right there. I kiss down her chest, making my way down between her breasts & skip her bra before continuing down her stomach as my hands slide down her sides.

I hook my fingers under the top of her undies, slowly sliding it down her legs. She lifts one high heeled foot at a time, carefully stepping out of her undies & I toss them aside. I slide my hands over her thighs, pushing her legs ever so slightly apart.

****

He kisses my inner right thigh, kissing a trail up from my knee & stopping just short of where I want his mouth to be. He turns to my left thigh, following the same path… Once again falling short of where I want him. I slide my fingers into his hair, tempted to take control & force him there, but he looks up at me & smirks. He then closes the gap, his lips kissing me right where I want & I sigh as I close my eyes. He dips his tongue inside & my hips jerk forward. He keeps teasing me, getting me more & more aroused. He then rises slightly, dragging his tongue through my folds… Sucks _hard_ on my clit.

I scream as I orgasm, his hands gripping my hips as I shake & I grip his hair tightly. He rises & presses his body against mine, his lips eagerly capturing mine.

I push him back a little, making quick work on unbuttoning the rest of his shirt & pull it off. I unbuckle his belt, undo his jeans & push them & his underwear down, letting them drop to his ankles. He lifts me up, my legs wrapping round his hips & my arms around his neck as he pins me to the wall. I moan as his erection rubs against me.

I grind my hips, rubbing myself against him & we both moan. He reaches his right hand between us & rubs his thumb over my clit, making me moan into his mouth. I reach down as he continues to rub me, wrapping my hand around his erection. I give it a few hard pumps, his hips jerking in response. I guide his erection to me, pushing the head against my opening, desperate to have the love of my life inside me.

He thrusts into me, making me gasp & arch my back, seeing stars as he slides deeper into me. He wraps his arms around my lower back, to hold my lower half out from the wall. He slowly thrusts, his lips soon finding their way down to my neck. I grind my hips every time his pushes against mine, his hands gripping my sides tightly. We’ve never made love with my bra still on, but ever since I gave birth, they’ve always ached from the movement. So we decided we’d try leaving my bra on- & it seems to be working.

I gasp when he flicks my clit with his thumb again. I dig my fingernails into his scalp, pushing my hips harder against him.

I can't help screaming his name when my orgasm hits, so powerful it sends tremors through me. His hits seconds after mine, & he groans against my neck. He pushes me against the wall, pinning me there so he doesn't have to fully support my weight & we both pant. I grip his hair, pulling his head back & then pushing him towards me, claiming his lips for a sloppy kiss.

****

I slow down, exhausted from my morning run, coming to a stop at the top of Lauren's driveway. I haven't talked to Ned since it all came out, & I feel like things need to be said if we’re going to move forward.

Wiping sweat off my face, I head down the driveway. I’m about to head up to the front door, but I can just hear Lauren's voice filtering round from the backyard. I cross to the side gate & let myself in, closing the gate behind me. I walk further into the backyard, finding them sitting at the table. Ned’s first to see me, his smile fading.

“Oh, hey Erin,” Lauren says.

I smile at her. “Hi, Lauren. How are you?”

“I’m good thanks,” She replies. “How are you?”

“I’m good too, thanks,” I reply, stepping up onto the decking. “I’m sorry if I’m intruding.”

“Not at all,” She replies. “You're more than welcome here. You're family.”

“Barely,” Ned mutters, earning a disapproving look from Lauren.

“Can we… talk?” I ask him.

“About?”

“Us.”

“We’re over,” he replies. “You chose him. What's there to talk about?”

I sigh. As much as it hurts, I understand why he's so mad.

“Just hear her out, Ned,” Lauren says. She gets to her feet. “I’m going to leave you to it.”

He sighs, shaking his head as she heads inside. I come round the table to join him, but he gets up rather aggressively & stalks towards _Doug Out_. I follow him. He glances over his shoulder  & sighs in annoyance.

“This isn't easy for me too, you know,” I say.

He stops by the bar & turns to face me. “What exactly is it that you want to say? Do you want to rub it in my face that you get the happy ending that you want, while I have to deal with the fact that I fell in love with you & now can't have you?”

“No.”

“And why come now?” He asks. “Don't you realise it's _torture_ for me to see you standing there, all hot  & sweaty, breathing heavily, knowing full well that I can't touch you? Cause all I want to do is take you into the shed, press you up against the wall & make love to you. The slow kind that we used to do, until my name is ripped from your lips & you collapse into my arms. But I _can't._ You're not mine, & I _hate_ that.”

“Because if I don't talk to you now, I don't think there will ever be a good time for this.”

“Right, well… do it. Say what you want to, & go back to your happy family.”

I purse my lips together into a thin line. “I’m sorry,” I reply. “I’m sorry for what happened between us. But as much as I am to blame for how it ended, you are too.”

“Yeah,” he replies. “I regret letting you into my bed all those times.”

“And I regret doing it,” I snap back. “Because it gave you the _stupid_ thought that you had the right to send a bunch of thugs to almost kill the love of my life.”

“ _Almost_ ,” he replies. “You still have your Prince Charming.”

I roll my eyes as I shake my head. “I can't believe that I thought that we could move past this.”

His expression drops. “What?”

“I know that… Things aren't good between us right now,” I reply. “But we’re going to be in each other's lives, thanks to Paige. And, despite everything, we were really good friends. I like you, Ned. And I hate that things went the way that they did. But… if we put all of that aside… I think we can be friends.”

He stares at me for a long minute. Swallows hard. “You think?”

“You know I don't say anything if I don't mean it.”

He nods.

“It's going to be difficult,” I say. “But… if we work hard, we can get through this. And be good friends.”

He nods. “I’d like that.”

****

She nods, a small smile appearing. “Good.”

I can tell she wants to hug, but is hesitant. So I step forward, pulling her into a hug. I can't help myself, burying my face into the crook of her neck as I pull her tightly against me. I miss the way I would wake up, met by the scent of her sweaty skin, knowing I made it so.

“Alright,” She says, pulling back. “I should get going.”

I nod. “Talk later?”

She nods. “Yeah. Maybe even catch up for a beer?”

I nod. “Sure.”

We walk back over to the decking. We wave bye & I watch her as she heads for the side gate. Lauren stops in the doorway & waves bye to Erin, who waves back. As the gate shuts, Lauren looks at me, giving me a proud mother hen smirk.

“Don't even start,” I tell her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So despite what happened with Madison, Ned is making progress with Erin. Paige & Mark are enjoying some R&R, but how long will the peace last? And could there be another baby on the way for Erin?


	72. And As The New Door Opens, We Close The Ones Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tensions are high between Ned & Jay. And as Erin faces more trouble in her love life... Ned faces a new beginning in his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? Yaaaaay!!!

I walk into _the Waterhole_ , & cross to the bar. But halfway there, I catch sight of something in the corner of my eye. I stop & look- shocked to see Erin sitting at a table.

Laughing.

 _With Ned_.

Curling my hands into fists at my side, I turn & cross to them. Ned sees me coming.

“Incoming,” He says to her, tilting his head my way.

Erin turns, eyes locking with mine. I step up between them. Erin places her hand on my left shoulder, but I keep my eyes focused on Ned.

“You can go now,” I tell him.

Ned looks at Erin. “I’m guessing you didn't tell him.”

“I wanted to break it to him gently,” She replies.

I turn to her. “Tell me what?”

“That…” She sighs. “Ned & I… are going to be friends.”

I gape. “ _Seriously?!_ ”

She places her hands on my arm. “Please don't get mad.”

“Oh, Aer, I’m not mad.”

She sighs.

“I’m _furious_ ,” I reply. “How could you do this? With the man who tried to _kill_ me?”

“Because I’m willing to put that behind me, & so is Ned.”

“Why?”

“Because regardless of how either of us feel, Ned’s going to be in our lives.”

I close my eyes. “Paige,” I whisper.

She cups my face in her hands. “I still have you,” She says. “So can you please look past the anger, & let me do this.”

I shake my head.

“It was one stupid mistake, & even though you almost died, you're still here,” She says, tears stinging her eyes. “I’m going to do this, whether I have your approval or not.”

“I’m going to go,” Ned says.

“No, _stay_ ,” Erin replies. “You two are an important part of my life. So you two need to learn to get along.”

She drops her hands & gets up.

“Aer,” I plead.

“Save it,” She says. She then pushes me to take her seat. “Now. I’m going to go buy us all a round. So you two better sit here & play nice.”

****

I turn & cross to the bar, Sheila coming to meet me on the other side as I approach & grip the edge tightly with both hands.

“Lot of testosterone over there, love,” She says.

I sigh. “They're being immature,” I reply. “Worse than actual kids.”

She leans in. “If I were you, I wouldn't be so upset over it,” She says. “You should be feeling lucky you have two gorgeous men fighting over you.”

“Not when I want to bang their heads together until they come to their senses.”

“Well, love,” She replies. “Some men need to be taught whose boss. So go do that.”

I sigh. “I don't think it's going to work on them.”

“Well, in that case,” She replies. “I find that you can always get to a man’s true feelings… through beer.”

I smirk. “Exactly what I came over here for.”

She nods. “Why don't you head back over there to keep them from doing something they’ll regret,” She replies. “I’ll bring your drinks over shortly.”

I smile. “You, are a god send, Sheila.”

She smiles. “Always here to help.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“It's on the house.”

“Sheila.”

She shakes her head. “You need the help.”

“Fine,” I sigh. “But the next round, I’m paying for.”

She smirks. “We’ll see about that.”

Shaking my head, I turn & head back to the table. I slide onto a stool between Ned & Jay, watching as they stare at each other.

“You two are pathetic, you know that?”

****

Ned stayed for a little over an hour, the men staying rather frosty with each other until Ned decided to go.

“Stay,” I tell him.

He shakes his head. “I don’t want to push this any further tonight,” he replies. “We’ll hang out another time. Have the night with him. You don’t need the stress of us being together.”

I give him a small smile. “No way of talking you round?”

He shakes his head.

I nod. “Okay.”

We hug & I hear Jay’s sigh. Ned & I say bye & I watch him walk out. I turn to Jay, & hit his arm.

“Ow!” He says, rubbing his arm.

“Do you _really_ have to be so damn childish?”

“Says the one being friends with _him_.”

I sigh. “Just let it _goooo_!”

“Why should I?”

“Because I’m _asking_ you to!” I reply. “I’ve chosen you. And I don’t know how many times I need to say that! I have never loved him. I was with him because it hurt too much to be alone,  & I didn’t know if you would want me back. So just let it go, & move on.”

****

Felicity’s face lights up when she sees Jay sitting at our table as I bring her in, having picked her up from childcare. Jay wants to make up for being so tense around Ned by shouting us dinner at _The Waterhole_. Felicity squirms in my arm, arms reaching for Jay as I walk over to him.

“Hey, princess!” He says, smiling as he reaches for her.

I hand her over, smiling as he covers her face with kisses, making her squeal in delight. I settle on my stool as he settles her on his lap, one hand on her stomach to keep her back against his stomach.

****

“I’ve been thinking,” I say, as she peruses the menu.

“About what?” She replies, still focused on the menu.

“We should move into mine.”

She slowly looks up at me, shocked. “What?”

“After all we’ve been through,” I reply. “We deserve our own space.”

Her eyes narrow slightly. “You mean you want me as far away from Ned as you can get me.”

“No.”

She tilts her head. She’s not buying it.

I sigh. “Fine, that’s part of the reason,” I reply. “But the majority of it is because I think it’s time that we have our own space. If we’re going to start our family, we’re going to need more space than we have living on Ramsay Street with your brothers.”

“But ultimately, it’s all about Ned,” She replies. “I will _always_ choose you. So can you _please_ put this anger behind us?”

“Aer, I really mean it when I say that I’m asking you this based on making our future.”

“When I thought I was pregnant,” She says. “I prayed that it was yours. Even though I was _petrified_ to raise another kid on my own. But I wanted it to be yours _so bad_ , because I will _always_ love you. And I wanted a part of us to live on.”

“And we _will_ have that.”

“Just as long as it’s away from my family.”

“Aer.”

She shakes her head. “I’m not going to move out because you have a bruised ego.”

“Aer,” I beg as she gets to her feet.

“I’m going home,” She replies, lifting Felicity from my lap. She brings her to her chest as she continues, “I think it will be best if you go to yours tonight.”

I open my mouth to reply, but she turns & walks away. I run a hand over my face & sigh.

****

“You look like you need some company,” I hear a woman say.

I look up, seeing a sexy brunette leaning against the bar as she smiles at me. The strobing lights of the club make it difficult to see the details, but I like what I can see.

I force a smile. “Sure.”

She settles on the stool just behind her. “So what's with the glum face?”

“Mending a broken heart,” I reply, lifting my beer up & taking a sip.

“Gorgeous man like you?” She asks. “She's crazy for letting you go.”

I shake my head as I set my beer down. “Nah… just…” I sigh. “She’s in love with someone else.”

She grimaces. “Sorry to hear that.”

****

We’ve been talking for a while, getting to know each other. Like her name is Elly & both of us are getting over recent break ups. And there's a clear attraction between us.

She slides off her stool, her skirt riding up her legs & I find myself staring at them. She leans forward enough to give me full view of her cleavage.

“There's one thing that we can do,” She says.

“And what would that be?”

She places her hand on my right shoulder, leaning even more forward & I stare down at her breasts. She brings her lips to my ear, & whispers just loud enough for me to hear, “You take me to the bathroom, & fuck me until we both forget the idiots who broke our hearts.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Ned take her up on her offer?? And will Erin & Jay find a way past this?


	73. If We've Only Got Tonight (Can You Just Stay With Me?)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned has a hot one night stand, as Erin has a cheeky late night rendezvous. A big day is approaching for Erin, & a secret plan is on the cards. But the biggest shock is who has just moved onto the street...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanna say, I had this finished just over a week ago. And then forgot to post! *facepalm* In my defence, it was the day before my birthday...

She holds the door into the female bathroom open, one hand on the door, the other on the doorframe & gives me a very seductive look.  
“Get in here,” She says.  
I push off the wall across the wide corridor from her & cross to her, my right hand gripping her hip as I back her into the bathroom. I reach back, locking the door, before pushing her further into the room. I push her against the wall, using my body to pin her to it as I bring her hands above her head & hold them there. I press my lips against hers, & she eagerly reciprocates.  
I let go of her hands, slowly dragging mine down her arms as we kiss, working my way down her sides to her hips. I dig my fingers into her, feeling the material of her dress bunch in my hands. I kiss my way down her neck & lightly nip the base, making her moan.  
I slip my hands behind her, slowly unzipping her dress & pulling it down to her hips. I unclasp her strapless bra, tugging that off & dropping it on the floor. I kiss down her chest, taking one nipple in my mouth & play with it. She squirms as she moans & I turn my focus to her other nipple as I slide my fingers between her thighs. She arches her back, forcing her breast further into my mouth as I rub her undies. I can feel she's already ready to have me inside her, but I’m going to make her even more needy.  
I kiss down her body, sliding my hands down her sides. I tug her dress over her hips, letting it drop & pool on her feet. I look up at her, finding she has her eyes closed as she breathes heavily. I slip two fingers under the edge of her undies, & rub her clit. She gasps, her legs buckling. Smirking, I pull her undies down before kissing up her inner right thigh, lightly nipping her skin every so often. I slide my tongue through her folds, pushing it ever so slightly inside her. She lets out a long whimper, one hand sliding into my hair. I tease her more, licking & sucking her, rubbing her clit with my right thumb. She grinds her hips down, pushing me into her deeper. Feeling her close to her high, I swap my mouth & hand- teasing her clit with my tongue as I push my fingers into her. I tease her until it hits, her nails digging into my scalp.  
I rise, fingers still in her. She's looking at me through half closed eyes.  
“Better than your last time?” I ask.  
She nods. “I wanna make you come.”  
I smirk. “Good,” I reply. “Cause I’m far from being done with you. Not until you scream.”  
She raises her eyebrow. “Is that so?”  
I thrust my fingers deeper & she moans. She grabs my head, forcing my lips against hers. She unbuttons my shirt, forcing my hand out of her so she can pull it off, & then she undoes my belt & pants. As my pants drop, she pushes my boxers down, letting them drop as she holds my erection. She rubs it hard, pushing its tip against her opening & I moan against her lips.  
“It's not fun being teased, is it?” She asks, lips brushing mine.  
“Fuck,” I moan.  
I feel her smile. “With pleasure.”  
She pushes her hips forward, both of us moaning as I slide slightly inside her. I lift her up, her legs wrapping around my hips & I guide her slowly down onto me. I hold her still once I’m completely inside her, watching her as she barely keeps herself together. I shift my hips backwards, before thrusting hard. She bites back her scream & I smirk.  
I thrust over & over, she grinds her hips into mine, desperate to feel that high again. She tilts her head back, eyes closing & teeth digging into her bottom lip so hard it might bleed.  
“Scream,” I say.  
She shakes her head.  
I dig my fingers into her hips & force them hard against mine. She screams out, nails digging into my back & scalp. I bite her neck’s base, soothing it with kisses as I keep thrusting deep into her. I feel her core tighten around me as her orgasm approaches, & I push just that little bit harder.  
She screams as it hits, mine hitting as she's coming down. I push her back, pressing my body against her & we rest our faces against each other's shoulders.  
“Oh god, yessss,” She whispers. “That was so much better than anyone else.”  
“Good,” I reply. “Cause you deserve it.”  
“So do you,” She whispers back, turning to kiss my jaw.  
I lift my head & capture her lips with mine. I press myself harder against her, both of us moaning as I push deeper into her.  
****  
I grind my hips against his, smirking against his lips as he moans. I grind even harder, feeling him press my G-spot & I shake.  
He presses his chest against mine, pinning me to the wall as he drops his lips to my neck.  
I turn my head slightly, bringing my lips to his ear & whisper, “Fuck me again.”  
He lifts his head. “You need to do something first.”  
“And what would that be?”  
He lowers me, sliding out of me & I whimper in protest. He places his hands on my hips, guiding me to my right as he steps to his left, swapping us so he's leaning against the wall. He lifts his hands to my shoulders & pushes me down. I wrap my hand around his length, giving it a few hard tugs that rip a deep growl from him. I smirk as I lean in… & flick the tip.  
“Oh, fuuuck yes,” he moans.  
I slide him into my mouth, moaning as I taste both of us. I slide him in & out, lips dragging along his skin the whole time. His hand slips into my hair, & he guides me as I tease him with my tongue.  
His hips jerk & I can feel him almost at his high… So I pull back, his length leaving my mouth with a small pop.  
He looks down at me, brows furrowed. I stand, dragging my fingers up his chest.  
“Finish inside me,” I tell him. “You bad boy.”  
He hooks his arm around my waist, holding me against his chest as he spins & pushes my back against the wall again. He lifts me up, hands gripping my ass tightly. I sigh contentedly as he slides inside me. His hands slide to my hips & he pushes me hard against the wall. He thrusts, hands forcing me down onto him, pressing hard against my G-spot & I moan as I close my eyes, tilting my head back.  
I reach down, sliding my hand between us, & play with my clit, desperate to climax with him.  
“Yes, fuck me,” I moan. “Fuck me harder.”  
He thrusts harder, teeth grazing the base of my neck, hands forcing me down on him. I dig my fingers into his back, still playing with my clit. He bites my neck as his hits, his thrusts jerking.  
“Just a little bit more, babe,” I whisper. “I’m not there yet.”  
He groans as he thrusts, slow as he struggles to keep going. I'm agonisingly close, but I can tell that he won't make me on his own. So I let him thrust into me, tightening my legs around him to hold him deep in me as I pinch my clit hard between two fingers.  
I scream as I come, relaxing as I come down.  
“God, that was hot,” he mutters.  
I smirk, sliding my hand into his hair.  
****  
It’s almost midnight & I can't sleep. I sigh, fighting back tears- why am I back on my own again???  
I jump when my mobile vibrates. I lift it up enough to see the screen. Jay's calling. As much as I want to, I just can't deal with him tonight. So I put it back down. My head hits my pillow & I struggle to hold back my tears. I can't believe he wants to pull me from my family just because of Ned, hiding it behind the guise of having the space to start our family. I cover my face with my hands. Why does this have to be so hard??  
My mobile beeps with a text. I drop my hands slowly, before pushing myself up onto one elbow & reach for it. I unplug it from its charger & look at the notification.  
Jay: Can we please talk?  
I unlock it to reply, when another message comes through.  
Outside yours right now. I know that you're mad at me- & I don't blame you- but I’m sorry. I handled it wrong. So can you please come & talk? I know you're not sleeping. You always have trouble sleeping if I’m not there. So please Aer.  
I bite my lip, fighting back tears.  
****  
I sink into the backseat, sighing as I run my hands over my face. I will sleep in here if I have to. I just can't go back to mine if it's not with her.  
The door to my left opens, making me jump, & I turn as she gets in. She shuts the door & then pulls her cardigan around her tighter, crossing her arms, making it clear she's feeling awkward. I want to hug her, & kiss her… make the pain go away.  
“I’m sorry, Aer,” I say, my voice breaking.  
“I know,” She replies, looking at me with tears in her eyes. “I’m just… mad that you approached it that way.”  
I nod, tears stinging my eyes. “It was wrong of me to hide my jealousy like that.”  
She turns to me, bringing her right leg to lie across the backseat, her ankle under her left knee so she can face me. “I want us to have a home together,” She says. “I want our own place. But… using that idea to get me away from Ned… away from my family…” She shakes her head. “I can't believe you’d do that.”  
I swallow. “I just…” I sigh. “I want us to start over, away from this street. Because it has so many negative memories for us.” I swallow hard. “And…” I look at my hands. “I feel like our relationship is so… unstable. I feel as if it's not going to last.”  
She has kept the distance between us all this time. But my admission causes her to shift closer.  
“Hey,” She says softly, cupping my face with both hands. She turns my face to her. “We fight, but we grow stronger every day. We’re still here, despite everything. Because we love each other too much to let it go. And if there's one thing that I’ve learnt from recent events, it's to fight for you, for us.”  
“But what if that's…” I fight back tears. “Not enough?”  
“It will,” She says. “We just need to work together, okay?”  
I hesitate, before nodding.  
“And it starts by us being honest with each other,” She says. “But you need to let this thing towards Ned go. What he did was a stupid mistake, & we’ve both done that. So just let it be in the past.”  
I nod. “I’ll do my best.”  
She gives me a small smile. “Good.”  
“For you.”  
Her smile grows, tears stinging her eyes. “I love you so much, you know that?”  
I nod. “I love you so much too.”  
She leans forward, pressing her lips against mine. I pull her closer & she straddles my lap. She grinds her hips & I moan into her mouth. I pull back & rest my forehead on hers.  
“Are we really going to do this here?” I whisper.  
“Well… we could go inside to my bed, but…” She says, playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. “I don't wanna risk waking the others.”  
I bite back a moan, imaging her moaning loudly as she comes. I slip my hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head & bring her lips to mine. I slide my other hand under her top, sliding it up her back. She rocks her hips forward & I moan.  
She slides her hands down my front, before pushing my jacket over my shoulders. I have to lean forward so she can pull it down, both of us moaning as our crotches rub. Dumping my jacket aside, she takes advantage of my forward position & pulls off my shirt.  
I lean back, holding her against me as I capture her lips. I pull off her cardigan & then her shirt.  
“This is a bad idea,” I whisper. “Your brother is a cop.”  
“Who is currently fast asleep,” She replies. “So stop worrying about him & focus on me. On us.”  
She pushes her hips down & I moan, digging my fingers into her sides. She grinds her hips a few more times, before reaching down & lifting my hands from her. She lifts our hands up between us, turning her hands to link them with mine, our palms pressed together. She then climbs off, kneeling beside my left side.  
“Aer.”  
“Shhh,” She whispers, letting go of one, then both my hands.  
She unbuckles my belt, unbuttons & unzips my jeans. I moan as her fingers wrap around my length, her right hand under my boxers. She rubs her hand up & down my length, smirking when my hips jerk.  
I lift my hips & push my jeans & boxers down- she pushes them further down with her left hand. She then bends over, looking at me as she flicks the head with her tongue.  
“Oh, fuck,” I moan, making her smirk.  
She slips me into her mouth & I bite back a moan as she slowly blows me. I reach over & unclasp her bra, rubbing her back as she continues to suck my length. I slide my hand across her back, hooking it around her left side & pull her closer. I slide my hand over the small of her back, turning it as I slide over her right hip so my fingers slide onto her stomach first. I push my hand under the top of her pants, glad she's thrown on a tracksuit pants, & over her undies. She moans when I rub her. So I push my fingers against her, making her moan again.  
“Mmmm nup,” She moans after a while, lifting her head.  
She turns, forcing my hand from her & I growl as she sits down.  
“Shhh!” She hisses, before reaching forward.  
She pulls off her shoes before sitting back. She lifts her hips & pushes her pants & undies down, settling back on the seat when they're far enough down. She then takes them off, dropping them to the side. She turns to me, lifting her left leg up & over my legs, bringing it down so she's straddling me again. She keeps herself up off my lap though, & I watch as she reaches down & rubs her clit with her right hand. She moans, her head tilting back.  
“Aer,” I growl, wanting her like crazy.  
She changes to her left hand, her head tilting forward to watch me as she reaches down, wrapping her right hand around my length. I moan, tilting my head back & closing my eyes as she rubs me.  
“Aer,” I moan. “Please.”  
She rubs me a few more times, before holding me straight up. I lift my head, watching as she lowers her hips. She presses the head inside her… then stops. I meet her eyes & she smirks.  
“Don't make me beg, babe,” I say.  
She pouts, so I thrust my hips- she gasps as I push deeper into her. We sigh contentedly as she sinks all the way down my length. She rubs her hips back & forth, grinding them against mine without breaking contact. She whimpers & I realise this movement is rubbing her clit hard against me- meaning she's getting twice the pleasure. I watch her as she moves, her head tilting back, eyes closed as she builds to her high. She moans, panting between them & I push my hips up.  
“Jay!” She whispers before letting out a high pitch as she climaxes.  
I wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her into me as she comes down. I kiss the base of her neck, waiting for her body to stop trembling. I then turn to my left, twisting until I can lay her down across the backseat. I capture her lips with mine, distracting her from the fact that I’m about to thrust. She moans into my mouth when I do, her legs wrapping round my waist. She drags her nails over my back, breaking our kiss as she can't fight her moans any longer.  
She uses her legs to push me in deeper, keeping them locked to restrict me when I rock backwards. I can feel her walls tighten around me & I know she's almost at her high. So I press all my weight onto her, pinning her to the seat, & give her one very strong thrust. She gasps, walls clenching me & I still. She opens her eyes, confused, so I do another- her reaction the same. I do one more, both of us crying out as our highs hit simultaneously.  
I drop my head onto her shoulder, unable to support myself & she wraps her arms around me, her fingers slipping into my hair.  
“We should fight more often,” I whisper.  
“No more fights,” She whispers back, fingers playing with the hair at the nape of my neck. “I just want us to be happy.”  
I lift my head, meeting her eyes & nod. “Me too.”  
****  
I slowly open the front door, creeping inside. His hands slide onto my hips & I involuntarily giggle.  
“Shhh,” he whispers into my ear as he wraps his arms around me. “We’re meant to be quiet.”  
“I can't help how I react to you touching me.”  
He kisses my neck & I moan. I can feel him smirk. I close the door quietly, stepping out of his embrace as I do. I turn back to him as he grabs my hand, pulling me towards him & I giggle as I fall against him. He bands his other arm around my waist, dropping my hand & lifts his hand to cup my cheek. He smirks before leaning in & kisses me. I moan into his mouth, gripping either side of his shirt.  
“We should go to bed,” I whisper, lips barely from his.  
He smirks. “Or we could go back out to my car for round two.”  
“Mmmmm, my bed’s warmer.”  
“I can make it warmer in my car.”  
I quietly chuckle. “Nice try.”  
He kisses me & I press myself against him. He moans before pushing me back.  
“Either we head back outside,” he whispers. “Or we go through before this goes any further.”  
I smirk. “Turned on, huh?”  
“Always am with you.”  
I bite back a moan. He drops his arm from around me & I slip my right hand into his left. I turn & back towards the doorway to the bedrooms, pulling him with me & we smirk at each other. I press a finger to my lips & he nods. I turn & lead him through the hallway, walking quietly so not to disturb the others.  
When we reach my room, I turn & push him inside. I step in after him & quietly shut the door. He takes my hand once more as I turn to him, pulling me against him, wrapping his arm around my waist just like before.  
“I feel like a teenager again,” He whispers. “Sneaking into my girlfriend's bedroom so not to wake her parents.”  
I raise my eyebrow. “And who is my parents in this situation?”  
He thinks for a few seconds. “Definitely Mark,” he replies, making me smile & chuckle.  
He leans down & captures my lips.  
I pull back. “We should sleep.”  
He nods. We strip off to our undies & I take off my bra before we climb into bed. He pulls me against his chest, his arm draped over me. He kisses my bare shoulder.  
****  
“Morning,” I say as I enter the kitchen, Jay & Felicity close behind.  
“Morning,” Mark replies. He looks up & sees Jay. He frowns. “When did…?”  
“We… worked out our fight,” I reply.  
“Was there make-up sex?”  
“Paige!” I reply, blushing.  
“Don't tell me off for pointing out the truth!” She replies. “So how did you two keep it quiet?”  
Jay & I exchange looks.  
“Oh my god!” Paige replies. “You sneaky duo!”  
“What?” Mark asks, confused.  
“They totally did it somewhere else,” She replies. “I’m guessing the backseat of his car.”  
“Okay, can we not discuss this, please?” I ask, as Mark looks disgusted.  
“Couldn't agree more,” Mark replies.  
“We could talk about the fact that Erin's birthday is coming up,” Aaron says, walking into the kitchen.  
Jay raises his eyebrow. “Why am I just finding this out now?”  
I force a smile. “Cause I was kinda hoping to have it fly under the radar.”  
“Little tip, Aer,” Aaron replies, stepping closer. “You wanna avoid your birthday… don't live with your brothers.”  
“Should have accepted my offer to live at mine,” Jay replies, lifting his coffee to take a sip.  
“Don't start with that again.”  
He nods. “So… when is it?”  
I bite my lip. I slowly say, “Saturday.”  
He looks surprised. “That's… three days away.”  
“Like I said, I don't want a big fuss made about it.”  
“Why?”  
“Because I just don't feel like celebrating the fact that I’m getting old.”  
“You're about to turn twenty-six,” Aaron replies. “That's not old.”  
“Given what's happened lately,” I reply. “I feel a lot older.”  
“Well, it doesn't have to be something big,” Mark says. “How about we all go down to the Waterhole for dinner on Saturday?”  
“Thanks, but… The Waterhole means Sheila. And if Sheila knows, the whole street will.”  
“Would that be such a bad thing?”  
I stare at him. He puts his hands up in surrender.  
“Fine,” he says. “At least let us have dinner here.”  
I nod.  
****  
“I still don't get why you don't want a big party for your birthday,” I say, following Erin down the front stairs.  
“Because I just don't,” She replies, adjusting Felicity slightly.  
I stop her at the bottom of the stairs, turning her to me. “And what if I want to spoil you?”  
“You can,” She replies. “I just don't want a huge thing. I’m more than happy having dinner with you, my brothers, Paige, Piper, Lilly, Scott & Felicity.”  
I nod. “Oh, damn.”  
She frowns. “What?”  
“I left my wallet inside,” I reply. “You get this one in the car while I go back & get it.”  
She nods. “Okay,” She replies. “Hurry.”  
“Always.”  
I give her a quick kiss, then Felicity, before heading back upstairs. Mark, Aaron & Tyler are seated at the dining table.  
“Hey, what are you doing back in?” Mark asks.  
“I forgot my wallet,” I reply, crossing to them. “Or Erin thinks that.”  
“What are you up to?” Aaron asks.  
“I was wondering if you three were planning on going against her wishes, & doing something bigger than a simple dinner?”  
“We were just discussing it,” Aaron replies. “What are your thoughts?”  
“Have everyone down at the Waterhole,” I reply. “She says she doesn't want anything big, but… deep down she does. And she deserves it.”  
They all nod.  
“I should head back out before she gets suspicious,” I say. “Let me know if you need me to help with anything.”  
Mark nods. “Will do, mate.”  
****  
“What can I do for you, Ned?” Susan asks, as we stand outside her place at the top of her drive, her home behind me.  
“I just wanted to check in, see how Pip is going at school,” I reply. “I know she's had a rough year outside of school.”  
She nods. “She's attending all of her classes. Her grades have slipped slightly, but it's within how far I predict it would given this year. Other than that, she's fine,” She replies. “If I had any concern over her, I would let Brad, Terese or you know.”  
I nod. “Thanks.”  
“You're welcome,” She says. “Anything else?”  
I open my mouth to reply, when-  
“Susan,” A strangely familiar female voice says from behind me. “I need your help finding something.”  
“I can in a minute,” Susan replies. “But first, come meet your new neighbour. This is Ned. He lives down the road with his father, Brad. Ned, I'd like you to meet my niece, Elly.”  
My shoulders tense at the sound of that name. What are the chances it is the brunette I met last night?  
Pushing the thought from my mind, I turn as she steps up. Both of us stunned by the same revelation.  
Shit.  
****  
I stare at him. The man I hooked up with last night. The man who gave me incredible orgasms & I never expected to ever see again. Especially right outside my home, chatting to my Aunt.  
“It's nice to meet you,” Ned says, with a smile.  
I nod. “You too.”  
“Elly's our new teacher,” Susan says. “She’ll be taking over several of Piper’s classes.”  
Ned nods as I look confused.  
“Piper?”  
“My sister,” Ned replies. “Piper Willis.”  
“Oh.”  
****  
“Ned was just asking me how Piper is going at school,” Susan says.  
“You don't have to tell her about that,” I reply.  
“Too late now,” Elly replies.  
“And Brad is one of your colleagues,” Susan says. “You'll be seeing a lot of each other.”  
Elly blushes, her mouth moving as she struggles to speak. I smirk, knowing we've seen a lot more of each other. I think about how it felt to hold her, to touch her in just the right places, making her moan...  
“Elly?” Susan asks. “Are you okay?”  
Elly stares at me. She swallows. Definitely thinking about last night too.  
“Elly?”  
“Huh?” She replies, turning to look at Susan.  
“Are you okay?”  
“Yeah, I'm fine,” Elly replies. “I... I gotta go.” She turns to go, but stops, suddenly remembering her manners. “Bye Ned.”  
“Bye,” I reply with a smile.  
I watch her scurry back into her house.  
“Do you know what that was about?” Susan asks.  
I look at her & I shrug.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... things are good once more between Erin & Jay. Mark, Aaron, Tyler & Jay are planning something special for Erin’s birthday- but what will she say? And another couple celebrate a special milestone. What will Ned & Elly do, now that they're in each other's lives permanently? Will Ned move on from Erin with Elly?


	74. The Promise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler takes Piper away for a romantic getaway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing to really say, other than... it's very smutty. But very good.

“You're on holidays, yeah?”

 

“Well, hey to you too, Tyler,” I reply, holding the door as he stands outside.

 

“Hey,” he replies as he steps forward. He presses his lips to mine. “So… are you?”

 

“Would we be having this conversation if I wasn't?”

 

“Don't be a smart ass, or you won't know what I have planned.”

 

“Oooo, I’m intrigued.”

 

“You’ll see soon enough,” he replies. “All you need to know is… you need to pack a bag.”

 

I raise an eyebrow. “As in… overnight?”

 

He nods. “Is an hour enough time for you to get ready?”

 

“Pretty sure I can do it in less.”

 

“Well… text me when you're done.”

 

I nod. “Sure.”

 

He cups my face, leaning down & capturing my lips. He then steps back. I watch him head down the driveway, before shutting the door, turning & resting my back against it. I smile.

 

****

 

“Woah, where are you going?” Mark asks, as I head to the front door with my bags.

 

I stop mid-step & turn to him. He & Aaron are in the kitchen, both in their swimming shorts. “I… Am going away.”

 

“I can see that.”

 

“With Pipes.”

 

Both raise their eyebrows.

 

“Has Terese said it’s okay?” Mark asks. “I mean, Piper’s still technically a kid.”

 

“I talked to Terese yesterday,” I reply. “And she’s almost seventeen.”

 

“Okay, okay,” Mark replies. “I’m just making sure you’ve made sure it’s okay. I don’t want to leave myself open to hearing Terese come to me worried.”

 

“You know Piper would let her know where she is if I hadn’t talked to Terese,” I reply.

 

“So… where are you taking her?” Aaron asks.

 

“It’s a secret.”

 

“Any particular reason?”

 

I raise my eyebrow. “Can’t I take my girlfriend away?”

 

“It’s just…” Aaron replies. “We’ve… never seen you like this.”

 

I frown. “Like what?”

 

“So… romantic.”

 

“Yeah, says the one who’s single.”

 

“Ohhh, low blow, Gertie!”

 

“What Aaron is trying to say,” Mark says. “Is that we’re happy to see you so happy in love.”

 

“Yeah, you’ve been dating Piper for… close to a year now, right?” Aaron replies.

 

I nod. “It’s a few months short of that.”

 

“That’s gotta be, what?” Aaron replies. “Your longest relationship?”

 

“So?”

 

“It’s cute!” Aaron replies. “Little Gertie in looove!”

 

****

 

“Can you stop that look for five minutes?” He asks.

 

“I’m sick of being cooped up in this car!” I reply.

 

We’ve been driving for over an hour & a half, without break, & I’m feeling restless. We’re down on the coast, along the Great Ocean Road somewhere.

 

“Five more minutes,” he says. “And then you can stretch your legs.” He looks at me & smirks. “Stretch them wide.”

 

I gape, shocked at how dirty he is. I hit his arm as he looks ahead, chuckling.

 

Five minutes later, he turns into a driveway. A long one. I gasp as we reach the peak of a hill- the ocean filling the horizon. As we drive down the other side, my eyes drop to the modern house placed amongst the sand dunes.

 

****

 

She screams as I wrap my arms around her & lift her up, turning her as her screams turn to laughter. I carry her towards the bedroom, but my need for her gets the better of me. I put her down & pin her to the wall as I cup her cheeks. I capture her lips, pushing her harder against the wall & she moans, arms wrapping around my neck. I slide my hand between us, undoing her denim shorts & slip my hand under the material of her undies. She bites my bottom lip as I rub my fingers through her folds.

 

Her hips push forward just as I curl my fingers, & I slip inside her. She sighs into my mouth, sinking down until my fingers are all the way inside. I pump my fingers, smirking against her lips as she moans. I rub the heel of my hand against her clit & her moans grow.

 

Her whole body trembles when she hits her high. I slow my pumps as she comes down, using my other arm to support her. She whimpers when I pull out of her. I bring my fingers up & suck them clean, moaning at the taste of her juices.

 

She shimmies out of her shorts, kicking them off before grabbing the bottom of her shirt & peels that up & off. She tosses it aside & I stare at her, my length hardening at the sight of her leaning against the wall in her underwear.

 

“One of us is overdressed,” she says.

 

“Yeah,” I reply. “So come on. Lose the clothes.”

 

“Uh uh, you first,” She replies.

 

I sigh, crossing my arms & grab the bottom of my shirt. I pull it up slowly, watching her as she stares at my chest. I pull it over my head, eyes returning to her to find she's slipped her right hand into her undies & is rubbing herself.

 

“Pipes,” I sigh.

 

“You better hurry up.”

 

I step closer & kiss her neck. I unclasp her bra, roughly tugging it off, making her have to take her hand from herself. I drop to my knees, kissing my way down her stomach. I hook my fingers under the top of her undies, pulling them down & she steps out of them. I eagerly lick her, working fervently as she moans & grips my hair. Her nails dig into my scalp as her high hits, & I suck her, forming a seal over her opening as she comes apart.

 

I rise, finding her head tilted to one side & eyes closed as she struggles to calm her breathing. I take her chin between my finger & thumb, turning her head & press my lips to hers. She moans, eagerly kissing me as she tastes herself in my mouth. Her hands drop to my waist, beginning to unbuckle my belt. I push my hips forward, pressing her hard against the wall.

 

“Let me have you,” She says.

 

“You already do,” I reply, lips on her neck.

 

“You know what I mean.”

 

****

 

He steps back, giving me access once more. I unbuckle his belt, unbuttoning & then unzipping his jeans. I slide my hand into his boxers, massaging his length & he moans. He turns me around roughly & I place my hands on the wall as he pushes my legs further apart. I moan as he pushes inside, sighing as he pushes all the way in. He leans forward & kisses up my shoulder, brushing my hair aside as he reaches my neck, continuing up my neck as his hands squeeze my breasts as he slowly thrusts, his hips gently rocking back & forth.

 

I moan as he thrusts harder, my body rocking back & forth. I close my eyes, trying to calm my breathing but it's impossible. He kisses my shoulder as he slides his right hand down my stomach & between my legs.

 

“Tyler!” I moan as his fingers rub my clit.

 

“You know what I want, Pipes,” he whispers in my ear.

 

He thrusts harder & I moan, seeing stars as my high hits for the third time. I collapse forward, being held up by his hands & struggle to slow my breathing as he thrusts. He bites the base of my neck as his hits, his hips jerking as he slows.

 

****

 

I wake as he kisses my shoulder, his brown hair shining in the setting sun. He smiles & I feel something on my stomach. I look, seeing a gift bag resting on the sheet over my stomach as he pulls his hand back.

 

“What's this?” I ask.

 

“Uhh… a hippo?” He jokes.

 

I roll my eyes.

 

“You better open it & find out.”

 

I lie it down & peer inside- finding a small, wrapped box & an envelope. I pull the envelope out. I open it finding a cute card inside. There's a simple message inside:

 

_To my gorgeous Piper,_

_Every day I am grateful for being blessed with you in my life. Together we are so strong. And I hope that we continue growing stronger. Together._

_I love you with all my heart._

_Tyler xxx_

I look at him.

 

“Open the gift,” he says, softly.

 

I place the card & envelope aside. I reach in, pulling it out & tossing the bag to my left, making him chuckle. I pull on the ribbon, undoing it & drop it on top of my card. I rip the wrapping paper open.

 

“Wow. Easy, tiger!” He chuckles.

 

I toss the paper in his face & he chuckles. It's a small, navy blue box. Perfect size for a ring. I open it, gasping as I see the silver ring inside. Three hearts linked together, the outer two smaller than the middle one. Each has one side embedded with stones. I lift it out of the box, my heart melting as I see the engraving on the inside of the plain silver band- _Forever yours. TB_ ♥ _PW._

 

“It's beautiful,” I whisper.

 

“Like you,” he whispers, taking it from me.

 

He slips it onto my left ring finger, it slides on perfectly.

 

“How did you-”

 

“Borrowed one of your rings,” he says. “You never noticed.”

 

“Mmm, sneaky.”

 

“I’m a ninja,” he replies as he leans in & kisses me.

 

“Mmm,” I say, lips brushing his after our kiss. “May I ask why you got me this?”

 

“We’ve been together for almost a year,” he replies. “And even though that’s still a few months away, I know that your birthday is next week.”

 

“How did you remember that?”

 

He smiles. “I always remember the most important things.”

 

My heart melts. I pull him in for another kiss.

“I want you to know it’s a promise ring,” he says, forehead resting against mine. “I promise that no matter what happens, I want to be with you. I want you to look at this, & be reminded of how much that I’m madly in love with you.”

 

“I’m madly in love with you too.”

 

He smiles. “Good.”

 

I press my lips to his, fingers sliding into his hair. He straddles me, his length rubbing my sex, making us both moan.

 

****

 

She wraps her arms around my waist as we stand in the kitchen, her head coming to rest on my back.

 

“You know,” I say. “If you let me turn around, you can snuggle my chest.”

 

“Nah, I’m happy here.”

 

“But I can’t kiss you.”

 

“Tough.”

 

I link fingers with her, & pull her hands apart. I let go as I turn around, wrapping one arm around her waist, the other cupping her cheek. She’s wearing my shirt, & it looks incredible on her. I press my lips against hers passionately, moaning as she pushes her body against mine. I lift her up, her legs wrapping around my waist & arms around my neck as I turn around. I sit her on the bench, keeping her close to me. I lightly bite her bottom lip when I feel her sex rub against me- immediately realising she isn’t wearing her undies.

 

I reach down as we kiss, ripping a moan from her as I rub her, her hips pushing forward to meet my fingers. She drops her arms from around my neck, her fingers hooking my boxers seconds later & she pushes them down. I push into her, both of us sighing as she pushes her hips forward to meet mine. She starts to lift my shirt off her, but I take hold of her hands.

 

“Leave it on,” I whisper, before capturing her lips.

 

She gasps as I slowly thrust. She wraps her arms around my neck, fingers digging into my back as I band my arms around her waist. She pulls back, tilting her head back as I thrust harder. I drop my head, bringing my lips to her neck & kiss her skin.

 

Her whole body shakes in my arms as she falls apart, mine hitting a few thrusts later. She collapses against me, resting her head on my shoulder.

 

“I love you,” She whispers, nuzzling into my neck.

 

“I love you too,” I whisper back.

 

****

 

I wake the next morning, feeling him tracing patterns on my left forearm. We’d fallen asleep with me curled up beside him, my left arm resting on his chest, his arm around me & our legs tangled up. My eyes focus on my ring & I smile. He presses a kiss to my forehead.

 

I push myself up, seeing him frown as I lift my leg over him. I straddle him, reach down between my legs & grab his length. I sink down onto him, smirking as he lets out a small moan. I place my hands on his chest & slowly ride him.

 

He moans as he hits his high. Smirking, I keep moving, wanting to hit mine. He wraps his hands around my wrists, & pulls them towards his head. I gasp as I fall onto his chest. He kisses me as he thrusts, helping me reach my high.

 

“That was a good way to start the morning,” he says, as I come down.

 

I smile. “Thank you,” I reply. “For this trip. For everything.”

 

He smiles. “You’re welcome,” he replies. “I love you.”

 

“I love you too.”

 

****

 

“When do we have to go back?” She asks, as I shift our breakfast dishes to the bedside table.

 

I turn to her, eyebrow raised. “You sick of this already?”

 

“No,” She replies. “I wanna know when we have to go back to reality.”

 

I smirk. “Not until tomorrow,” I reply. “I gotta be back before Saturday.”

 

“What’s on Saturday?”

 

“Erin’s birthday.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah, so I wanna be there in the morning.”

 

She nods, before kissing me.

 

****

 

“No!” I exclaim, stepping back from him.

 

“What?” He replies, smirking at me.

 

We’ve been walking along the beach for the last hour. And I know he's about to do something cheeky.

 

“Whatever you’re thinking, it's not going to happen.”

 

He raises his eyebrow. “I’m not planning on anything.”

 

“Yes, you are! I know that look, Tyler!”

 

He holds his hands up in defence. “Honestly, Pipes. I swear I’m not going to do anything,” he replies. “Except walk with my gorgeous girlfriend.”

 

I narrow my eyes. “Liar!”

 

“What do I need to say or do to make you see I have nothing planned?”

 

“Get a better poker face, for starters.”

 

He licks his lip. “Alright, you wanna know what I’m thinking?”

 

“I _knew_ it!”

 

“I’m thinking about exactly what I want to do with you when we get back to our accommodation.”

 

I raise my eyebrow. “Oh?”

 

“Mmmmhmmm,” he says, nodding.

 

“And what would that be?”

 

“You’ll have to wait until we get there,” he replies, stepping closer.

“Or you could just tell me right now.”

 

He sighs. “Not happening, Pipes,” he replies, stepping into my personal space. “But first…”

 

He moves quickly, a scream leaving my mouth as he scoops me up into his arms. He turns towards the water.

 

“Tyler, NO!” I exclaim as he steps forward.

 

“What?” He replies. “I’m just walking with my girlfriend.”

 

“Yeah, into the _water_!”

 

He smirks. I squeal, wrapping my arms around his neck as a wave splashes up. He carries me out until the water is up to his hips, ignoring my pleas to take us back to the beach.

 

“Alright, fine,” he says, turning back.

 

He's barely turned back when he suddenly tips backwards- I scream as we fall, both of us going under the surface. We both let go of each other, & for a frightening minute I’m not sure which way is up. I surface, gasping as I move my arms to keep me up. Definitely further out than we were. I look around, but can't see him.

 

“Tyler?” I ask, starting to panic.

 

Nothing.

 

“Tyler?” I call.

 

Something grabs my leg. I scream, kicking my leg to try & free it. It lets go… Tyler appearing in front of me seconds later.

 

“Tyler!” I exclaim angrily, splashing water in his face.

 

He smirks, moving closer to kiss me. I back away. But he grabs my hand & pulls me in, capturing my lips.

 

****

She pulls off her shoes as we stand on the decking of the house.

 

“You know I hate you for that,” She says.

 

“Come on,” I reply, pulling my own shoes off. “It was fun!”

 

“Oh yeah,” she sarcastically replies. “Fun ruining our clothes!”

 

“They’ll dry out, Pipes.”

 

“You're buying me new shoes if they don't.”

 

“Yes, ma’am,” I reply, mock saluting.

 

She starts stripping off. I swallow hard as she uncovers her wet underwear.

 

“Pipes,” I sigh.

 

“What?”

 

“You know what.”

 

“You said they’ll dry out,” She replies, crossing to the edge of the deck. She places her clothes on the edge, in the sun.

 

“Yeah, but did you really have to strip out here?”

 

“I’m not taking wet clothes inside just to bring them straight back out here to dry,” She replies, crossing back to me. “And you shouldn't complain. It's your fault that they need drying anyway.”

 

I pull her into me, roughly kissing her & she moans. Together we strip me. I lie her down on the deck, hovering above her as I capture her lips again.

 

“Out here?” She asks, having pushed me back.

 

“There's not another house for ages, we’re alone,” I reply. “And I can't help it if I want you right now.”

 

She bites her bottom lip. Suddenly, she’s pulling me down & our lips crash together.

 

****

 

I gasp as his lips touch my folds. I lift my hips, pushing him closer but he places his hands on my hips & pushes me back down. I whimper in protest, before gasping as he pushes his tongue just inside.

 

I squirm, gripping his hair as he works me to my high. I tilt my head back, letting out a long moan as I orgasm. He grips my hips, forcing me closer as I ride it out.

 

The world is spinning slightly when he crawls on all fours up to me. He lowers himself, pressing his lips to mine & I moan as I wrap my arms around his neck. He pushes inside, & uses his weight to pin me to the deck. He rocks back & forth slowly & I wrap my legs around his waist.

 

Unlike before, he stays at this slow pace, my whole body on fire as he slowly drags me up to my high. I lift my hips & he moans, breaking our kiss & dropping his lips to the base of my neck. I drag my nails over his back, closing my eyes & tilting my head back as I moan.

 

I feel my high approaching, so I use my legs to push him in deeper.

 

“Fuck, Pipes,” he moans, lips brushing my skin.

 

I dig my nails into his skin, crying out as I hit my high. I close my eyes to stop my vision spinning as he continues to thrust. With eyes still closed, I turn to him & pull his earlobe between my teeth. I shift my jaw from side to side, dragging my teeth against his skin. He moans, hips jerking as his high hits. He collapses onto me as he comes down, & I hold him close.

 

****

 

After dinner, we curl up on the couch. I rest my head on his chest as we talk the night away, our legs entwined, not an inch of space between us. We fall asleep there some time late in the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Tyler & Piper have had a romantic getaway. But what's ahead for Erin’s birthday? What's planned to celebrate, & will she like it?
> 
> \----  
> For reference- this is the ring he got her: https://chetanmalikbkjewellers.files.wordpress.com/2015/05/diamond-heart-promise-rings-for-girlfriend-ik0bpnag.jpg


	75. Best Birthday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Erin's birthday, & Jay has a number of surprises for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's taken me a little too long to finish this chapter off. Somehow forgot to work on it for a while (whoops!).

I stir, moaning as heat pools in my core. I open my eyes, expecting to see him lying there next to me, but frown when he isn't. I gasp, feeling his lips touching my sex. I slide my hands under my sheets, sliding my hands into his hair & push him closer.

I can't keep still as he licks me, his tongue & fingers taking turns slipping inside me. I let out a long moan as he sucks my clit & then grazes it with his teeth. I push my hips forward, desperately trying to control where he is, but he pushes my hips back down. He pushes his fingers all the way in, curling them slightly as he sucks my clit. I bite my lip hard to stifle the scream as my high hits.

He climbs up, over me as I come down, a cheeky smirk plastered on his face when he emerges.

“Happy birthday, Aer,” he says, leaning down to kiss me.

I moan, tasting myself on his lips & tongue, & I slide my hand into his hair. He lowers himself, pressing his body against mine & we both moan.

“Make love to me,” I whisper, lips brushing his.

“As you wish, love,” he whispers back.

I moan as he pushes into me, arching my back as he fills me. He lowers his chest, pinning me to our bed & slowly thrusts. I hook my legs around his waist, nails scraping his back as he thrusts deeper. When I moans get too loud, he captures my lips with his, our bodies blending into one.

****

She whimpers into my mouth as she hits her high, her body squirming under me. I push into her a little harder & she whimpers, her walls squeezing me so tight I groan as I hit my high. I slow my thrusts, sinking down onto her, my lips shifting from hers to her neck.

“Perfect start to my birthday ever,” She whispers, her right hand sliding into my hair.

“Good,” I reply, lips brushing her skin. “You deserve to be spoiled.”

“Mmmm,” She happily hums.

I bite her skin & she moans as I kiss it to ease the sting. I roll off her & she whimpers as I slip out of her. I shift closer, pressing myself against her side & drape my arm over her. She turns her head to me, resting her forehead against mine.

****

“Mummy!!!” Felicity says, as Jay carries her into our bedroom.

“Hey, baby!” I reply, smiling at her as I sit up in our bed.

She squirms as Jay carries her over to me. He lowers her onto my lap & sits down on the edge of our bed.

“Happy birday Mummy,” She says.

“Awww, thank you baby!” I reply, giving her a kiss.

I look at Jay, heart melting. That's the first time she's ever said it. He smirks.

“Hey, Felicity,” he says. “Should we give Mummy her present?”

“Ya!”

He gets up, crosses to the set of drawers. He pulls one of his open, pulls something out, before closing the drawer & returns to the bed. He sits down & holds a gift bag out to me.

I gasp. “What's this?” I ask Felicity as I take it. “What have you two got me? Wanna help mummy open it, baby?”

Felicity nods. I sit the bag down beside me. I reach inside, pulling out the envelope. I open it, pulling out an elegant card with a beautiful design & ‘Happy Birthday’ in gold, curly writing. I open the card, smiling as I see Jay’s handwriting.

_To my gorgeous Erin ( & Mummy),_

_Wishing you the happiest birthday. We are grateful to have you in our lives, to guide us, love us & make us the best people we can be._

_Happy Birthday!_

_With all our love,_

_Jay & Felicity_

_xxxxx_

I look at Jay, tears filling my eyes as I smile. He smiles back. I place my card aside, & pull out the three packages- one small, one medium & one large.

“Oh, wow,” I say. “There's a lot.”

“Like I said,” He replies. “You deserve to be spoiled.”

I nod.

“Open the biggest first,” He says. “That's Felicity’s.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Did Felicity get something bigger than her Daddy?”

“Size doesn't matter,” He replies. “You’ll understand that when you see them.”

“Mmm,” I hum. I then look at Felicity. “Wanna help Mummy open this?”

“Ya!” Felicity replies.

I place the largest package close enough so she can reach it. She grabs hold of the paper, & together we rip it open. I gasp when I see one of her drawings- one I’ve never seen before- framed in a beautiful frame.

“Awwww! It's beautiful! Thank you baby!” I say, lifting her up & kissing her cheek repeatedly.

“I know it's not much, but she told me it was of you,” Jay says. “So I thought I’d frame it so she could give you it.”

I smile at him. “I love it,” I reply. “Thank you.”

He smiles. “You're welcome,” he replies. “And you're more welcome for the others.”

“Which one should I unwrap first?” I ask Felicity, as I sit her in my lap.

She grabs the medium sized one, & it hits me that Jay might have an order so I look at him.

“Good choice, Felicity!” He says. He looks up at me as he continues, “Daddy wants the other one to be last.”

My breath catches in my throat when my eyes fall on the other gift. It's small enough to be a ring box. _What if he's planning on proposing???_ We’ve had our ups  & downs, but… we both want a future together.

I swallow hard, forcing myself to push those thoughts aside. Felicity helps me unwrap the medium gift, revealing a rectangular box. I open it, gasping as I see its contents- a beautiful jewelled silver bracelet & a silver necklace with a heart shaped pendant.

“Oh my god!” I whisper.

“You like?” He asks.

I look at him. “Love.”

He smirks. “Good.”

Felicity picks up the last present & pushes it against my hand as I still hold the box with the necklace & bracelet. I put that box down & take the smallest present from her. I stare at it, the thought of it being an engagement ring flooding back into my mind.

“Aer?” He asks.

I look at him.

“Everything okay?” He asks.

“Huh? Yeah.”

He narrows his eyes in confusion. Then he looks at the present in my hands, & it hits. He looks up at me & smiles.

“It’s not an engagement ring,” He says. “Not yet.”

I nod. “Yeah, of course,” I reply. “Letting my mind run wild.”

He smirks. “One day I will give you one.”

I give him a small smile.

“Even though I want to right now,” He says. “I wish I could, but…”

I nod. _Of course, his divorce_. “When the time is right, you will.”

“Yeah,” he softly says. “The second I can.”

I smile, bowing my head as I blush.

“Open it,” He says.

I rip the paper open, finding the box matches the other one. I open it, gasping as I see the ring. It’s a stunning white gold band- a trinity knot with a small crown, diamonds (three either side of the trinity knot & one on top of the crown) & at the very heart of the knot is a stunning, heart shaped amethyst.

“I know you love Irish things,” He says. “And as much as I can’t get you an engagement ring, I did a bit of research & found out that the Irish have a promise ring- the Claddagh. This one’s extra special… because the Trinity knot symbolises infinite love, faith, loyalty & protection. No beginning, no ending… The continuity of everlasting love.” He takes the box from me & takes the ring out of it. He places the box aside & takes hold of my left hand. “It’s a symbol of the intertwining of two souls.”

His eyes stay focused on mine as he slides it onto my ring finger. I look down- it fits perfectly.

“I love you,” He says, drawing my eyes back to him.

I smile. “I love you too.”

He smiles as he leans forward, carefully leaning over Felicity to kiss me.

****

After a nice, hot shower, I dress & head out to the kitchen for breakfast, finding it a hive of activity. There’s a good spread of food on the dining table, which is set for everyone.

“Ah, there she is!” Mark says, stepping away from the stovetop towards me. He extends his arms out for a hug as he says, “Happy Birthday!”

“Thanks,” I reply, smiling as he pulls me into a hug.

“Now, go sit down,” He says as we part. “Everything’s all ready.”

I cross to the table, with Mark behind me, & smile at everyone else. My brothers & Paige all get up & take turns wishing me a happy birthday as they hug me. As Paige pulls away, she catches sight of my new ring & gasps. She grabs my hand to look at it.

“You have amazing taste, Jay,” She says.

“Thanks,” He says, smiling as he bands his arm around my waist.

“Isn't the birthstone of October the Opal?” Aaron asks.

“Yes, but… Amethyst looks better,” Jay replies. “Besides, Erin’s favourite colour is purple.”

I smile at him. “You know me too well.”

“Of course,” he replies as he leans in to capture my lips.

We sit down & eat. And then my brothers give me presents.

****

“Are you sure you don’t want to go do something?” Jay asks as we snuggle on the couch.

I have the day off- I always take my birthday off- & it’s just us & Felicity right now. Felicity’s playing on the floor. I have my head resting on his chest, my left hand splayed over his chest as his right arm wraps around me.

“Being here with you is all I want to do,” I reply.

He plays with my hair, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “It’s really good having some time, just the three of us.”

I nod. “Mmmmhmm.”

“Especially after what we’ve been through.”

“Yeah,” I softly reply.

“Are you okay?”

I tilt my head up to look at him. “Yeah,” I reply. “Why?”

“You just sound…” He says, before sighing. “Upset? Sad. Something.”

“I’m not.”

“I know we’ve been through a lot,” he replies. “But… I’m not letting anything else get between us.”

I nod. “I know,” I reply. “I’m going to fight for us too.”

“I love you.”

I sit up & look at him as I smile. “I love you too.”

I lean forward & press my lips to his.

****

I turn as I hear her heels, facing the doorway as she steps through from our bedroom. She sheepishly smiles as she stops. I look over her- she looks absolutely stunning in a deep purple maxi dress, her hair braided from on her left side before snaking round the back of her head to a bun on her right.

“What?” She asks.

“You look so damn beautiful.”

She smiles, blushing. I cross to her, wrapping my arms around her waist as hers wrap around my neck. I smile at her.

“What are you thinking?”

“About how gorgeous you’re going to be in your wedding dress.”

She smiles. “Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

“I can’t help it,” I reply. “I look at you, & I keep picturing our future.”

She kisses me & I pull her closer. If I wasn’t planning on taking her to _The Waterhole_ for her surprise dinner, I would carry her through to her room  & make love.

“Mmmm we gotta go,” I say, breaking our kiss as I pull back.

“Let’s ditch dinner & spend the extra time in my bed.”

“As much as I love that idea,” I reply. “We need to go.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Why are you so determined to go to dinner?”

“Cause I want to spoil you by taking you out,” I reply. “And you look gorgeous. I don’t want all that effort to go to waste.”

She looks surprised. “It’s not an effort,” She replies. “I want to look nice for you.”

I smirk. “I don’t care what you look like,” I reply. “I love you for you.”

Her eyes fill with tears. She closes the gap, capturing my lips & I pull her closer. Caught up in the moment, I walk her backwards, pushing her against the wall making her moan into my mouth.

She smirks against my lips, arching her back to press against me & I moan as I grip her hips tighter.

“We're alone,” She whispers. “So let's shed our clothes & make love right here.”

I sigh, working out if we can afford to stay for a bit.

“Jay,” She whispers, cupping my cheeks.

“Let's go.”

“Why?”

I sigh. “Because I have a surprise planned.”

She sighs. “And I said I don't want any.”

“You’ll like this one.”

“Not as much as I like the idea of you making love to me right here.”

“Please come with me,” I reply. “And then we can make love later.”

“I’m going to hold you to that.”

I give her a quick kiss. “I promise.”

****

“You know, when you said a surprise,” I say as we walk across the courtyard. “I didn’t think you meant _The Waterhole_.”

He forces a smile. “Just let us get inside before you start criticising, okay?”

“I can’t believe you passed on us making love for… _this_.”

“What did I just say?” He asks.

I sigh. “Wait until I see inside before I criticise.”

He nods before kissing me. I place my hand on the back of his head, keeping his lips to mine & he wraps his arms around my waist. He rests his forehead on mine.

“Come on,” He softly says. “We should go inside.”

“Or home,” I reply, playing with the hair on the nape of his neck.

He groans. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Gonna keep tempting you till you do.”

He bites his lip. He then guides me over to the door of _the Waterhole_. “Just be good for a little while, okay?”

“We’ll see,” I reply, with a smirk.

He shakes his head as he reaches for the door handle. He holds the door open for me.

“I still can't believe you insisted we come…” I reply, stepping inside, stopping when I see that it's been decorated & the whole street is here.

“Surprise!” Everyone says.

“Oh my god!”

“Told you you’d like it,” Jay whispers as he wraps his arms around my waist, his chest pressing against my back.

“I’m… surprised.”

“You're worth being spoiled,” he whispers, before kissing my cheek.

I cross to my brothers & Paige, smiling at them. Mark has hold of Felicity. I take her from him, smiling as she plays with the necklace Jay gave me.

****

“Aer,” Ned says & I look up as he steps over.

I look surprised. “Ned!” I reply, as I spread my arms to hug him.

“Happy birthday,” he replies as we part.

“Thank you,” I reply. “I can't believe you're here.”

He smiles. “So am I,” he replies. “Considering who invited me.”

I look confused.

“Jay.”

I’m shocked. “Seriously?!”

He nods.

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

“Totally wasn't expecting that.”

“Same,” He replies. “He seems rather… calm.”

I smile slightly. “Yeah,” I reply. “He’s trying. For me.”

He smiles. “He must really love you.”

I nod, playing with my new ring. “Yeah.”

“I’m glad,” He says. “I’m happy that you found someone who will give you the life you deserve.”

I smile. “But you wish it was you?”

He smiles. “I hate that you know how I feel under the surface.”

“Hey,” I reply, squeezing his shoulder. “You’re gonna find someone.”

He swallows. “Yeah.”

I catch sight of a young woman across the room with Susan. “What about her?”

“Who?”

“That one,” I reply, pointing at her. “Brunette with Susan.”

“Elly.”

I look at him, shocked. “Woah! You know her?”

He nods. “She's Susan’s niece,” he replies. “She’ll be working at the school.”

“Oh, cool,” I reply. “You should go talk to her.”

He shakes his head.

“Why not?” I ask. “You already know her. I’m guessing she isn't going to be complicated like me. So why don't you go see how things go?”

He swallows. “I don't think so.”

I frown. “What? Why?”

“Can you leave it?”

“Not until I get answers.”

“Erin.”

“Yes?”

He sighs. “I don't want to talk about it.”

I frown. And then it all hits- why he’s been so awkward since I brought her up. “Oh my god!”

“What?”

“You’ve already slept with her!” I reply. “And given how awkward you are, I’m guessing it was before you knew she's Susan's niece. So… a one-night stand?”

“Right, I’m gonna go talk to someone else,” he says, turning to go.

“Ned,” I reply, grabbing his arm. He looks at me. “I’m sorry. I just… I want to see you happy. I didn't treat you right.”

He shakes his head. “I shouldn't have suggested the friends with benefits thing. I had no idea that, while I falling for you, you were still caught up in loving Jay. I made a dumb move, thinking I could win your heart.”

“And I made you think there was a chance,” I reply. “You deserve to have what I do. And if that's with… Elly…”

He nods. “Maybe one day it will,” he replies. “But… not tonight.”

I force a smile. “Alright.”

“But thanks,” he replies. “For trying.”

I smile. “You're welcome.”

He pulls me into a hug.

****

“You look so pale!” Aaron says. “What are you so worried about? It's not like you're proposing.”

“And what if I am?”

His eyes widen. “Seriously?”

“I want to. I so, so, _so_ want to,” I reply, before letting out a huge sigh. “I just… can't. With the divorce going on…”

He nods. “Yeah, I get it,” He replies. “But the wait is going to be worth it.”

“Yeah,” I sigh.

“Hey,” He says, placing his hands on my shoulders. “In the meantime… focus on right now. She's going to love what you have planned.”

****

“Hey Markie,” I say as I approach him.

He turns to me & smiles. “Hey, birthday girl!”

I smile. “Have you seen Jay?”

“Uhh… yeah,” He replies. “He & Aaron disappeared off not too long ago.”

I sigh. “Great. So Az is spending more time with Jay than I am tonight.”

He wraps his arm around my shoulders. “They did mention something about a surprise.”

“Oh god!” I groan. “Not another one!”

“Let us spoil you & shower you with love,” he says. “You so deserve to be treated like a queen.”

“I don't feel like one.”

“You _are_ ,” He replies, squeezing my arm.

Before I can reply, Aaron steps up onto the small stage & gestures to Mark. He guides me closer to the stage & everyone gathers around us.

“Jay has one last present for the birthday woman,” Aaron says into the microphone.

“Oh, I wouldn't be so sure about that,” I reply. “I thought he was done before this.”

“I promise this is the last one,” Jay replies, emerging from behind a curtain at the back of the stage.

I spot his guitar hanging from its strap on his back, & I nervously bite my lip- he's going to sing. He pulls it around, giving it one final tune & plugs it into the speakers.

“This, is a song that I wrote especially for tonight,” He says into the microphone. “And I hope you all enjoy it. Especially the woman who this is for.”

 

When our eyes locked for the first time,

I knew I wanted to be with you forever.

I’ve never been so sure, of anything, as much as I am with you.

Your smile, your laugh, your everything.

I never wanna lose a single one.

 

We’ve been through so much,

The highs, the lows, together or apart,

It only made us stronger.

The rise & falls,

It always led me back to you.

 

Cause I’m not leaving you,

I’ll lay my heart out for you.

I’ll show the world that I love you

And I don’t want anyone but you.

 

Cause I’ve found my home in your arms.

You’re the place where I belong.

I’m never leaving you, no never.

 

So wrap your arms around me,

And let the tears fall

Cause I am here for you.

Yeah I am here for you.

When the darkness gets to deep,

I’ll be there to guide you back.

 

You are, you are all I need.

No matter what the future holds,

I don’t care as long as you’re by my side.

Life can be hard,

The rise & falls,

It always led me back to you.

 

Cause I’m not leaving you,

I’ll lay my heart out for you.

I’ll show the world that I love you

And I don’t want anyone but you.

 

Cause I’ve found my home in your arms.

You’re the place where I belong.

I’m never leaving you, no never.

 

Tonight,

I’ll fall at your feet.

Tonight,

I’ll fall asleep next to you.

Tonight,

I’ll be forever yours.

 

Cause I’m not leaving you,

I’ll lay my heart out for you.

I’ll show the world that I love you

And I don’t want anyone but you.

 

Cause I’ve found my home in your arms.

You’re the place where I belong.

I’m never leaving you, no never.

****

As I receive a round of applause, I smile & push my guitar round to my back. Erin comes on stage & throws herself at me- her arms wrapping round my neck as mine wrap around her waist. Her lips meet mine & I love the ferocity of her kiss. I can't help smiling as we kiss- _this is how I expected her to react the last time I sang a song I wrote for her in here_.

Erin pulls back, breaking our kiss & we both smile as I rest my forehead on hers. She plays with the hair on the back of my head, & I can tell she really wants to kiss me again.

“Speech!” Paige calls out.

Erin slowly lowers her arms & I do the same, neither of us really wanting to let go. She steps over to the microphone & pulls it from the stand.

“Uh… thank you all for coming,” She says. “Thanks for all the love you’ve shown me today. I really do appreciate it. And thanks to my brothers & Jay for organising tonight. Even though I said I didn't want anything more than just a family dinner.” She smiles, before I catch sight of tears in her eyes. “I’ve, uh… had a few rough years. This year more than earned being in the top five of the worst. So to see all of you here, celebrating my birthday… It means a lot more than I could ever put into words. I know only a handful of you are family, but… I feel like you all are my family.”

“We all love you, love,” Sheila says.

Erin smiles. “Uh… I think that's all,” She says. “I’m gonna cry if I try to continue.”

Everyone applauds as she puts the microphone back on its stand. I step over to her, draping my arm around her shoulders & press a kiss to her temple.

“Take me backstage,” She whispers.

I nod. We turn around, my arm still around her & head to the back of the stage. I hold the curtain open for her & let her step through first. I drop my arm from her as I follow her through, pulling my guitar off & place it down. I step over to her, cupping her face in my hands.

“Are you okay?”

She nods. “Yeah, just…” She sighs. “A little overwhelmed with emotions.”

I smile a little. “You're not used to being showered with love, aren't you?”

She shakes her head slightly. “It's been a long time since I’ve been shown this much love.”

My smile grows. “Get used to it,” I reply. “I’m going to make sure you see it regularly.”

She raises an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Mmmhmm.”

I press my lips against hers. I then turn & grab my guitar. I cross to its case & put it away.

“Take me home,” She says, as I’m closing the lid.

“Sure,” I reply, zipping it shut. “We’ll go get Felicity, say bye to everyone & then go.”

“That's not what I meant.”

I turn to her, confused.

“I want you to take me to yours,” She says. “My brothers can take Felicity.”

I look at her for a long moment. “Are you… sure?”

She nods. “I want to end my birthday making love to my handsome boyfriend,” She replies as she steps closer & places her hands on my chest. “And given I want you to make me scream, I don't think it's very appropriate to have my daughter in earshot.”

“Mmm definitely not a good idea.”

“Mmmmhmmm. Thought so,” She replies, leaning in to kiss me.

****

When we emerge, the party's starting to wind down. Everyone's getting their belongings & saying goodbye. I say goodbye to everyone individually. Sheila lingers, ready to close up. I finally managing to make my way over to my brothers & Paige, finding Felicity almost asleep on Aaron’s shoulder. I don't blame her- it's well past her bedtime.

“You want to take this one?” Aaron asks.

“Actually,” I reply, hesitantly.

Mark & Tyler look confused. Aaron smirks.

“We’ll see you tomorrow,” he replies.

“Thank you,” I reply, noticing Mark’s figured it out.

“You're welcome.”

“Huh?” Tyler asks.

I give him a look. It hits him.

“Oh,” He replies.

“Ready?” Jay asks, stepping up beside me as he places his hand on my back.

“Almost,” I reply. “Just gotta say goodbye.”

He nods. “We’re all leaving, right? We could just do that outside.”

We all nod.

“You sure you’re fine on your own to close up?” I ask Sheila.

“Of course, love,” She replies. “It’s just locking the doors. I made sure my staff cleaned up before they left.”

“Okay,” I reply. “Thank you so much for all of this.”

“No worries. Always happy to help celebrate a birthday,” She replies. “Or anything, really.”

I smile. We all say goodbye to Sheila before we all head out to the carpark. Jay & I say goodbye to Paige & my brothers, leaving Aaron till last so we can kiss Felicity goodbye.

****

I unlock my front door, pushing it open & gesture for her to go first. I follow, pushing the door shut before pulling her into me, cupping her cheek & capturing her lips with mine for a bruising kiss. She grips my shirt’s sides, pulling me closer. I push her backwards, smirking when she moans as her back hits the wall.

I shift my lips to her neck, she moans as she tilts her head to give me better access. I unzip her dress as I kiss the base of her neck. I step back, wanting to take her in as I pull her dress off. I moan as I see she's not wearing a bra. I lift my eyes to meet hers, & she smirks.

I step forward, grabbing her chin as I do & kiss her. I kiss over her jaw, down her neck & then down her body. I push her legs a little further apart & swipe my tongue over her undies. She gasps, & I smirk.

I tease her more through her undies- rubbing & licking her until she's almost at her high. I then pull her undies down, hook her right leg over my shoulder, press my lips to her sex, &… suck her clit.

I reach up, gripping her hips to keep her up as her whole body shakes as she comes down from her high. She digs her nails into my scalp & I smirk against her sex.

She lowers her leg & pulls me by my hair. I rise, hands running up her sides & allow her to pull me in for a kiss- she moans as she tastes herself in my mouth & lips. I press her against the wall, pinning her with my body & bring her hands up above her head. There's something so hot about having her pinned to the wall while totally naked.

I slip my right hand between us, cupping her sex & she moans into my mouth. I push a couple of fingers into her, making her gasp. I pump my fingers, smirking against her lips as her hips push forward. I break our kiss, wanting to watch her as she builds to another high. She closes her eyes as she tilts her head back, her left hand gripping my shoulder as she rocks her hips. I rub her clit with my thumb & she cries out.

“Look at me, Aer,” I say. “Look at me as it hits.”

She shakes her head. _Always so stubborn_.

“Open your eyes or I’ll stop.”

She slowly opens her eyes, head still tilted back so she looks at me through half closed eyelids. I bring my other hand down & tilt her head down so she can look at me properly. I rub her clit again, moving it in circles as I pump my fingers inside her, keeping my eyes locked with hers.

She grips my shoulders hard as she hits her high, her body slumping forward towards mine as she struggles to come down. I wrap my free arm around her, holding her up while she comes down.

She leans back against the wall, her chest rising & falling as she breathes heavily. I pull my fingers out of her- she moans- & raise my fingers to her mouth. She sucks them, moaning as she licks her juices from them.

“You're sneaky,” She mutters.

I smirk. “I’ve wanted you so much all night,” I reply. “Just making the most of finally being able to-”

“You're overdressed,” She interrupts as she brings her hands to my shirt’s buttons.

Instead of undoing them, she rips it open & pulls it off before tossing it aside.

“Luckily I wasn't too attached to that one.”

“Good,” She replies, smirking.

“What are you planning on doing with my pants?”

She doesn't reply. Instead, she reaches down & undoes my belt. She undoes the button of my jeans, before slowly unzipping them. She pushes my jeans down, letting them pool at my feet. She slips her hand into my boxers, & tugs my length. I groan, leaning forward & resting my forehead against hers.

She keeps rubbing up & down my length. I place my hands on the wall either side of her, fighting the urge to thrust.

“Aer,” I whisper.

“Yes?”

“Stop.”

“No.”

I growl, & I can tell from her exhale she's smirking. I push my boxers down & then lift her up, forcing her hand from my length. I push her against the wall as her legs wrap around my hips. I capture her lips as her arms band around my neck. She rocks her hips forward, both of us moaning as her sex rubs against my hard length.

I push into her & she gasps. I push all the way in, bringing my hips to meet hers & stay still for a minute. I break our kiss, smirking as her eyes stay closed. I slowly push my hips back, before thrusting forward- smirking as she gasps once more. I rock my hips back & forth, working her slowly to her next high.

****

I tilt my head back, panting as he thrusts into me, & I push my hips down to meet his. He digs his fingers into my hips, trying to stop me but fails. He kisses my neck, sucking on it as he pushes into me just that little bit harder.

“Look at me,” I say.

He refuses. So I slide my right hand into his hair, grab a fistful & pull him back. Once he's locked eyes with me, I reach down with my left hand & rub my clit, desperate to force my high to time with his.

“I should be doing that.”

I shake my head. “You have to hold me up.”

“Aer,” he growls.

“You don't get to be in control of my orgasm,” I reply. “Not this one.”

He thrusts harder & I gasp- my fingers slip, pushing my clit hard in one direction, & I whimper as the most intense orgasm I’ve ever had hits. I force my eyes to stay open, determined to watch him as his hits. I rock my hips forward, guiding him in deeper despite my whole body trembling. He groans as his hits, the intensity of his making mine come again.

I pull him into me, capturing his lips despite us both gasping for air. He pushes me against the wall once more, resting his forehead against mine.

“Imagine if we’ve just made our little one,” He says.

I smile. “That would be a nice final gift.”

“I can't wait to see you pregnant.”

“I can show you photos from when I was carrying Felicity.”

“As much as I love Felicity,” he replies. “Not the same as experiencing it firsthand.”

I smile, sliding my hand into his hair. “I love how enthusiastic you are about being a dad.”

He brings his lips to my right ear. “Can you blame me?” He whispers. “A little one that's a blend of both of us?” He pulls back, looks me in the eyes as he cups my cheek. “I want that as much as I want to marry & spend the rest of my life with you.”

I smile. “Our child will be lucky to have you as their dad,” I reply. “I know, cause Felicity is lucky to be growing up with you as her dad.”

“And I’m lucky to have you two, beautiful girls in my life.”

****

I stir, feeling him pull me closer a moment later, my back pressing against his chest & his lips press on my left shoulder.

“Mmmm,” I hum contentedly.

“You like that?” He asks, lips brushing my skin.

“Love it.”

“Good,” he replies, kissing up my neck.

“Stop,” I moan.

He smirks, lips against my skin. He slides his hand down my stomach, between my legs & rubs my sex. I moan, pushing myself against his chest. He hooks his other arm under me, wrapping it around me & holding me tight. He rolls onto his back, bringing me with him to lie on top.

He rubs his fingers through my folds, before pushing his fingers inside & I gasp & arch my back. He uses his free hand to push me back down & pumps his fingers. I roll my head back & close my eyes, panting. He kisses my cheek, letting his lips linger on my cheek.

****

She's squirming & moaning loudly as she approaches her high. I turn towards her, to the curve where her neck meets her shoulder & kiss it. I then bite her, pulling her skin a little. She screams & arches her back as she orgasms. I hold her close as I lick the spot I bit to ease the sting.

“How was that?” I ask.

“Not nearly as good as if it was… with you.”

“Mmmm,” I reply, pulling my fingers out of her.

She turns over, straddles me & rubs against me. I groan.

****

I stir, reaching out to his side… it’s empty & cold. I open my eyes, finding that I’m alone. I get out, collecting one of his shirts as I head for the door. I pull it over my head as I step into the hallway, pulling it down my body as I walk through to the kitchen. He’s at the stove, busy cooking in a t-shirt & his boxers. I lean against the door frame & watch him for a few minutes.

“I don’t like it when you get up without me,” I say.

He turns to me. “I was gonna make you breakfast & bring it to you.”

“Okay,” I reply. “I’m gonna go back to bed then.”

I turn around, getting two steps before he grabs my hand. He turns me around as he pulls me to him.

“Stay,” he whispers.

“But I want breakfast in bed,” I pout.

“Stay & talk to me,” he replies. “And then we can eat in bed.”

I nod. He presses his lips to mine & then leads me back to the stove. As he gets back to cooking the bacon & eggs, I turn my back to the bench beside the stove & hop up to sit on it. He groans.

“What?” I ask.

He steps between my legs as he places his hands on my thighs. He slowly drags them down towards my knees, fingers digging into me a little.

“I love seeing you wear my clothes,” he says.

I lean in close, lips ever so slightly brushing his. “So I shouldn’t bring up the fact that I’m not wearing my undies?”

He groans, resting his forehead on mine. I smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Jay & Erin back in a happy place, it's time to get back to Paige & Mark next chapter.


	76. Mooshakes And Ducks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler & Piper look after his nieces and nephew. The fun day holds surprise revelations for Typer, but there's a bigger surprise waiting at home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short & sweet. Cuteness overload. Enjoy!

I pull the blanket back down over the twins’ pram, happy to see they’ve fallen asleep, just as Felicity lets out a delighted squeal from behind me. I turn around, smiling as I see her perched on Tyler’s shoulders, his hands holding her ankles to hold her in place as he jogs around the grassland beside the lake. He’d offered to look after the three youngest Brennans, to have some Uncle time, & I’d offered to come help.

 I chuckle as I watch them, him talking to her & her squeals & laughter, her tiny hands gripping his hair. He's so good with kids. He’s going to be a great dad someday…

 “You have a beautiful daughter,” A woman says.

 I turn, finding a woman similar age to Mum standing a few steps from me.

 “I’m sorry,” She says. “I assume you're with them.”

 She points towards Tyler & I smile.

 “Yeah,” I reply, looking at her again. “I am.”

 “She's beautiful,” She says. “Like her mother.”

 I smile.

 “How old is she?”

 “Just over two.”

 “Awwww! They're adorable at that age.”

 I nod. “Yeah.”

 “And two more?” She asks, looking at the pram.

 “Yep,” I reply, wondering if the next question will be how old I am.

 “Lovely,” She says. “Anyway… I’m sorry for disturbing. I just… I saw you, &… found myself coming over to talk to you.”

 I smile. “It's fine.”

 “I’ll leave you be,” She says. “Bye.”

 “Bye.”

 She walks off & I turn my attention back to Tyler & Felicity.

 ****

 After a while, Tyler brings Felicity back over to our picnic rug.

“You two looked like you were having fun,” I say as Tyler places Felicity on the rug.

“Yeah,” He replies, settling down. “But I need a break. It's tiring work running around with a small kid on my shoulders.”

 “Oh, I bet,” I tease.

 “Mooshake!” Felicity exclaims.

 Tyler & I look at her, surprised.

 “What?” Tyler replies.

 “Moooooooooshake!” She repeats, drawing it out like it's going to make it any clearer.

 “Mooshake?” Tyler replies, still confused. He looks at me. “Any ideas?”

 I shrug. “I have no idea.”

 “Moooooooshake!”

 “Mooshake...” Tyler mutters, thinking it over. Then it hits. “Ohhh, _milk_ shake!”

 “Mooshake!” Felicity replies, looking happy.

 “Alright, I’ll go get you one.”

 Felicity giggles.

 “I bet you're a chocolate girl, right Felicity? Just like your mumma.”

 “Ya!”

 Tyler smiles. He then looks at me. “You want one too?”

 I nod. “Strawberry, please.”

 “Okay, I’ll go get ones from _Harold’s_ ,” He replies, getting to his feet. “You okay with these three on your own for a bit?”

 I nod. “The twins are sleeping,” I reply. “I’ll play with Felicity while we wait.”

 He smiles. “Okay,” He replies. “Call me if you need me.”

 “I’ll be fine.”

 He raises his hands defence. “Just stating it just in case.”

 “Go,” I reply. “Before Felicity gets restless waiting.”

 “Yes, ma’am!” He mock salutes.

 I shake my head as I laugh. He turns & walks off towards the complex. Once he disappears from my sight, I turn my attention to Felicity.

 ****

 I stir my coffee- leaving without talking to him was a bad idea. I _need_ to talk to him. To meet the little ones. To hear about all the things I’ve missed from his life. From his siblings’ lives.

 Just when I find the courage to get up & go see them again, the café door opens & he walks in. On his own. He doesn't notice me as he crosses to the counter & waits to be served. Here's my opportunity to reconnect with him, to get the what's bound to be a tense if not awkward reunion out of the way without his partner & children present. And yet… I can't move.

  _He’s so happy. Haven't seen him that happy in years. Maybe he's better off without me coming back into his life…_

 ****

 “Hey, Tyler,” Lauren says as she approaches. “What can I get you?”

 “Hey, Lauren,” I reply. “Can I get two chocolate and one strawberry milkshakes to go, please?”

 “Of course you can.”

 “Oh, & one of the chocolate ones is for Felicity.”

 She nods. “I’ll make it small.”

 “Thanks.”

 “You're welcome,” She replies. “How's it going with the little ones?”

 “Good,” I reply. “Twins are sleeping, & I’ve just spent about an hour running around with Felicity on my shoulders.”

 She smiles. “I’m sure she appreciates spending time with you.”

 I nod. “The feeling’s mutual.”

 “I’ll get on these for you.”

 “Thanks.”

 ****

 “Here we go,” Tyler says as I play with Felicity.

 I turn to him as he approaches, surprised to see the picnic basket he’s carrying.

“Lauren sprung this on me,” He says, placing it down on the blanket. I take the tray of milkshakes so he can sit down. “She knew one of us would eventually come in to get food, so she organised this.”

 “Oh, she’s amazing.”

 “Well, she is grandmother to two of these three,” He replies. “Doing a lot more for them than my parents.”

“You don't talk about them much,” I reply, as Tyler holds Felicity’s milkshake out to her.

 “What's there to say?” He replies, watching as Felicity eagerly drinks, her hands on top of his hand. “Dad was alright, when he wasn't using me like a punching bag. And Mum?” He shakes his head. “She's been silent ever since she divorced Dad.”

I purse my lips together tightly. “I’m sorry, Ty.”

He shrugs. “We can't all get the perfect family.”

“But you… your mum…”

 “I can't change the past. It's better off being forgotten about.”

****

“You wanna throw some more?” I ask Felicity.

We're beside the lake, she's standing as I kneel behind her. Lauren gave me some stale bread so we can feed the ducks.

 “Ya!” She replies.

 “Why don't we both throw some, okay?” I reply.

 “Ya!”

 I hand her a few small pieces. “Ready?”

 She nods.

 “Go!”

 She throws them & I do an underarm throw. Felicity squeals as the pieces land in the lake & the ducks eat.

 “Ducks!” She squeals.

 “Yeah, they are ducks,” I reply.

Looking after Felicity, Lilly & Scott has been great. Makes me excited to have kids of my own. Not that I’m in any rush to have one. I look over to Piper. She's sitting on the picnic blanket, holding bottles to the twins, who have finally woken. I smile when I notice she’s quietly talking to them. _She's going to make a great mother one day._

“More!” Felicity exclaims, drawing my attention back to her.

“Okay, okay,” I reply, handing her some more bread.

I chuckle as she tosses it into the water. I kiss her cheek.

****

 We walk home, Piper pushing the pram while I carry Felicity. By the time we reach Ramsay Street, Felicity has her head on my shoulder as she sleeps.

 “You really tuckered her out,” Piper says.

 “Yeah,” I reply. “But she had fun.”

 “Who wouldn't when playing with Uncle Tyler?” She replies, nudging my arm.

 I smile just as we reach the end of my driveway. I catch sight of a woman waiting on the deck. I stop as I frown.

 “Tyler?” Piper asks, stopping too.

 “Wait here,” I reply, handing her Felicity.

 “Okay,” She replies, settling Felicity against her chest.

 I hurry up the driveway, taking the stairs two at a time. She turns to me as I approach, & smiles.

 “Look at you!” She says. “Just as handsome as your brothers. And with a beautiful family.”

 “What are you doing here?” I ask. “Mum?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnnnnn!!!! What's Mumma Brennan doing here? And how will her four children react?


	77. The Rift

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin's not happy to see their unexpected visitor. But what's the reason she's so against having her back in her life? Will Erin open up to Mark?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so... this was a difficult chapter to write. On the basis that it's setting up some major stuff for the sequel (yeah, sequel). So stepping around the big bombshell was hard. But necessary.

Jay pulls up outside home & as he turns the engine off, I notice Piper perched on the retaining wall between ours & hers. Felicity is asleep against her chest, while the twins are in their pram. Frowning, I get out.

“Piper,” I say, as I approach, aware of Jay following me over.

“Oh, hey you two!” She replies.

“What are you doing out here?” I ask.

“We got home from the _Lassiter’s_ lake, & Tyler told me to wait here with these three.”

I frown. “Where's Tyler?”

She lifts her right hand from Felicity’s back & points up towards the house. I turn & look. Tyler's leaning his back against the balcony railing, his arms crossed as he stares towards the front door. Partially hidden in the shadows of the front door’s alcove, I spot the one woman I never expected to see here. My stomach flips.

“She was waiting up there when we got here,” Piper says, drawing my focus back to her.

“Take the kids to yours,” I reply. “Both of you. And stay there.”

“Erin?” Jay asks. “What-”

“Look, I promise to explain it all later on,” I reply. “But right now, I need you two to do as I’ve asked.”

Jay looks at Piper.

“Alright, let's go,” She says, standing up.

“Thank you,” I tell her, before kissing Felicity's head.

Jay takes hold of the pram. I catch him as he heads after Piper, stopping him long enough to give him a kiss. I watch them walk down the footpath to Piper’s driveway & turn up it. I head up mine a bit, waiting until they head inside Piper’s home before pulling my mobile out. I bring up my messages, sending a group one to Mark & Aaron- _Get home NOW._

As I climb the main stairs, I watch Tyler. He shakes his head & then catches sight of me. He turns his head to me & I smile. He looks almost… panicked. I stop & frown.

Then Mum steps into view.

“Erin!” She says, stepping over to me. “I didn't know you lived here too!”

She tries to hug me, but I stop her. “Why are you here?”

****

“I came to see my boys,” Mum says. “I heard they were all living here, &-”

“Riiight,” Erin replies, with a scoff. “So you make the effort to come see them without telling them, but shut me out when I needed you the most.”

“Erin,” Mum sighs.

“What, Mum? Did you think I would be all forgiving of you after not speaking to you after almost three years?” Erin asks. “I came to you, wanting reassurance because I was pregnant & alone & you _dismissed_ me.”

“Oh, my darling-”

“ _No!_ ” Erin says. “You don't get to say that. To smooth over you rejecting me like that.”

“So let me have the chance to make it up to you now.”

Erin shakes her head. “And you came to see my brothers,” She says. “Am I _that_ insignificant to you? That you would make the effort to come all this way to reconnect with them, when you shunted your _only_ daughter, who was living in the same city as you.” She shakes her head. “You didn't even know I live here. Which I have for most of the year.”

“Erin.”

“You don't get to come back into our lives & get a happy reunion,” Erin replies. “And you're not going to meet your grandchildren.”

“She saw the kids at the lake,” I say.

Erin looks shocked as she turns to me. “She's met Felicity?”

“Who is Felicity?” Mum asks. “Is that your eldest, Tyler?”

It's a punch to the gut to Erin. She closes her eyes, fighting back tears.

“Felicity is _my_ daughter," She says, opening her eyes to look at Mum. “ _My_ daughter. And the babies? They're _Mark’s_. You missed his wedding too. But you would know that if you'd bothered to stay in our lives.”

“But the young woman-”

“Piper?” Erin asks.

“I… I don't know,” Mum replies. “She never said her name.”

“Of _course_!” Erin says. “Can't even be bothered introducing yourself to your son’s girlfriend. Only here to spend time with your sons. Your daughter  & the most important women in your sons’ lives don't matter to you.”

Erin shakes her head, turning away from Mum & grips the railing.

****

I stare over at Piper’s house. All I want to do is be there with my girl. _Maybe I should just go be with her & Jay. Away from Mum._

“Erin!” Mark calls.

I look down, seeing him followed by Aaron rushing up the bottom stairs. I quickly turn & head down a few steps to meet him. He looks so worried.

“The twins are fine,” I reply, putting my hands on his chest to stop him.

“What's going on?” He asks. His eyes drift past me, & his expression changes from worry to shock. “Mum?”

I step aside, forcing a smile.

“Hi Mark & Aaron,” She says.

Mark crosses to her, enveloping her in a hug. I roll my eyes.

“Nice to see one of my children is happy to see me,” Mum says, as they part.

Mark frowns. “What?”

“Speak to these two,” She replies, pointing at Tyler & I.

Mark looks at us.

“You don't know what it was like for us when they divorced,” I say.

“Why don't we go inside & talk about it, then?” Aaron asks.

****

“You knew didn't you?” I ask as we sit around the dining table. “You knew before the divorce was settled, that Russell was hurting Tyler. And you did _nothing_ to protect us. You just walked away. You _abandoned_ us, leaving us at his mercy, instead of fighting to save us.”

“Is this what this is all about?” Mark asks.

I shake my head. “She also refused to help me when I came to her days after I found out I was pregnant.”

“Mum?” Mark asks, in disbelief as he turns to look at her.

“I wasn't the right person for you to seek support from,” She says.

“ _Why_?” I ask.

“Because…”

“Because what?”

I want her to admit it. I want her to tell me that she knew what he’d been doing to me all those years.

“Erin,” She sighs.

I shake my head. “You made me feel so isolated,” I say, fighting back tears. “I was scared of raising a baby on my own, & all I needed was your reassurance. But you chose to ignore me. It's like the moment you ended things with Russell, you ended things with all of us.”

“Can we just talk about it?”

I shake my head, wiping away tears as I get to my feet. I head towards the door.

“Erin,” Mark pleads as I pass behind him.

I stop & turn back to him. “She didn't give a damn about me or her first grandchild, why should I give her the chance to make it up when it's clear she's going to disappear again?” I ask. “She wasn't there for your wedding. You're clearly her golden child, & she couldn't make the effort to come for that. Or when you were in hospital with life threatening injuries. And then there's the fact that she didn't know I live here, that I’ve been through _hell_ for most of this year. She's the worst parent around, worse than Russell  & that's saying a _lot_. The only good thing to come from her crap parenting, is that I know what _not_ to do.”

Mark frowns. “There's something else. Something you're not telling us.”

I shake my head, fighting back the terrifying memories. He doesn't know. Only Tyler knows what happened. I look at him. I can see the pain in his eyes, the understanding of what's going on in my head. Because he’s reliving things too. He nervously licks his lips.

“Aer,” Mark says softly, placing his hands on my arms. _When did he stand up?_ “How long have you known about it? Tyler’s abuse.”

“A long time. You were already becoming a cop, & Aaron…” I shake my head. “I don't even know where he was. But it was just Tyler & myself. Stuck in the middle of our parents’ divorce, caught up in things we shouldn't have been. Tyler was still young enough to need a legal guardian. _She_ _knew_ he was getting hit,  & instead of petitioning for full custody, she left us there. And I so desperately wanted to get him out, but what's a young uni student with barely enough money to survive herself supposed to do when she can't afford the lawyer & everything else to become his legal guardian?”

“You should have called me.”

I shake my head. “You didn't need the stress.”

“I would have helped.”

“I need to get out of here,” I reply. “And _she_ needs to be gone when I get back.”

“Erin,” Mum replies, crossing to me.

“You wanna know what it's like to have a family member abandon you?” I ask. “Well, here you go.”

I turn, grab my handbag & cross to the door. I open it & shove the security door open. I slam the front door behind me.

****

Piper, Felicity, the twins & I are in the lounge at Piper’s. The twins are asleep in their pram & Piper’s playing with Felicity.

“So who do you think that was?” Piper asks.

“You’ve known them longer than I have,” I reply.

“Mmm true,” She replies. “Whoever she is, I’m sure they’ll tell us… eventually.”

“Yeah.”

“I’ve never seen them be that protective before.”

I nod. “Same.”

The front door bursts open, Piper & I turning as Erin stumbles in. She's struggling not to cry.

“Aer?” I ask, getting to my feet.

I walk around the back of the couch & she moves to me. She wraps her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest as she bursts into tears. I wrap my arms around her, holding her tight & kiss the top of my head.

“Erin!” Mark calls.

A moment later, he steps in. Erin whimpers, pressing herself against me.

“I don't get it, Erin,” He says. “Come back & talk to Mum with us.”

“Wait, that's your _Mum_?” Piper asks as she turns to look at us over the couch.

Mark nods. “We haven't talked to her for ages.”

“ _Years_ ,” Erin corrects him.

“Erin refuses to talk to her.”

“I’m not talking to the woman who made me feel like I meant _nothing_.”

“So you're not going to give her a chance to fix it?” He asks. “To know her grandchildren?”

Erin loosens her hold on me & I relax my arms. She turns around to face him.

“I’m not going to stop you from introducing the twins to her,” Erin replies. “That's your choice. But Felicity won't be.”

“She has the right to know her grandma.”

“Mum lost that right the _second_ she decided to not to be there when I was pregnant,” Erin replies. “She didn't care then,  & she's not getting the chance now.”

Mark sighs, running a hand over his face. “Alright,” He replies. “I’m going to take the twins back. You can stay here for a bit. Calm down.”

“I’ll be calm when she’s on her way back to whatever hole she's crawled out of in Adelaide.”

“Erin,” Mark sighs.

I shake my head & he gets the message. He crosses to the pram. He peeks in, checking on the twins, before stepping behind it & pushes it towards the door. He stops beside Piper.

“Thanks for helping Tyler with them today,” He says.

She smiles. “You're welcome. Happy to help any time.”

Mark smiles. “I’ll talk to you all later.”

We say bye & watch him leave. It's not until the door shuts that Erin moves.

“I can't _believe_ him!” She exclaims.

“Alright, what's going on?” I ask.

She shakes her head.

“No, not good enough, Erin,” I reply. “You can't expect us to be left out of this.”

“Sisters,” Piper adds. “Remember?”

****

“These two used to run around the house, causing chaos,” Mum’s voice filters through the front door as I arrive back with my twins. I stop & listen. “Erin would be on the couch, nose in a book. Mark complained about the mess being made.”

“Yeah, we’d make the mess, he’d clean,” Tyler replies. “It was the perfect system.”

I open the door, stepping in backwards as I pull the pram inside.

“Hey,” Paige says, getting up off the couch.

“Hey,” I reply, giving her a quick kiss.

“No Erin?” Aaron asks.

I shake my head. “She's adamant she's not coming back as long as Mum’s here.”

“I don't get why she's holding a grudge,” Mum replies.

“She’ll come round, Mum,” I reply. “Just give her some time.”

“I hope so.”

“In the meantime, you can meet our children.”

“Ah, not quite,” Paige says, lowering the blanket covering the pram. “I need to change their nappies.”

“I’m happy to wait,” Mum replies. “I can spend some more time with my boys.”

Paige nods. She then looks at me. “Come on.”

I follow her towards the bedrooms, pushing the pram.

****

I sit on the floor, Felicity playing between my legs as Piper & Jay sit on the couch. I tell them everything- how my parents had been great when we were younger, their divorce, Tyler’s abuse (which Piper knew a lot about) & how Mum had treated me when I was pregnant. Everything but the biggest part. That's a secret only Tyler & I will ever know.

“How could a mother do that?” Piper asks. “Turn her back on her daughter when she's pregnant.”

I shrug. “That's a question I still don't have the answer to,” I reply, playing with Felicity's blonde curls. “If Felicity ever comes to me like that, I wouldn't turn her away. No matter what, I will be there for her.”

“No wonder you came here,” She replies.

I nod. “Hey, thanks for this, by the way,” I reply. “I’m sorry to just boss you two into bringing the kids here.”

She shakes her head. “It's fine,” She replies. “I knew you’d tell us when you could what was going on.”

“And your focus was finding out why she was here,” Jay adds.

“I can't believe she just turns up after all these years without warning.”

“She wants to reconnect,” Jay replies. “I’m not siding with her, but… I know what it's like to lose someone you love & want to fix things.”

I stare at him for a moment, breath kicked out of me because he’s talking about us. “Sometimes it's too late to fix things,” I reply. “Sometimes you can't fix what's broken.”

“So there's absolutely no chance of trying to mend your relationship with her?”

I shake my head. “She burned that bridge years ago.”

He frowns. “What are we missing?”

I narrow my eyes. “What?”

“I know you, Erin,” He replies. “I know how you act. And there's something in your body language… anger. Deep anger. But it doesn't make sense. What you’ve told us… it doesn't justify the deep anger I’m seeing.”

I swallow hard. _Maybe I should open up to him._ But I _can't._ “There is something,” I reply. “But… I can't talk about it now. There's some stuff too painful to talk about. The memories…” I shake my head. “I can't think about it.”

“Okay, you don't,” He replies.

I give him a weak smile. “Someday… maybe I will be able to tell you.”

He nods, before giving me a small smile.

“How about I get us some drinks?” Piper asks, getting to her feet.

“You should check how Tyler's doing,” I say, as she walks around the back of the couch. “He was thinking about Russell. I could see it in his eyes just before I left.”

“Yeah, I will soon.”

****

“I’m sorry, Ty,” Mum says, breaking the long silence. “I’m sorry I never helped stop him.”

“What's done is done, you don't need to apologise for it,” I reply. “He knew what he was doing, & he kept doing it. No one is to blame except him.” I lick my lip. “Besides… the one you should be apologising to is Erin.”

Aaron frowns.

“She won't let me,” Mum replies.

“Do you get why she hates you for turning your back on her when she was pregnant?”

She shakes her head.

“It's not just that,” I reply. “In fact, I don't think her hate stems from that. I think that was the last straw for her.”

“She hates me for not helping you,” Mum replies. “For not protecting you from him.”

I nod. “That's… part of the reason.”

She frowns. “What else?”

That's when I realise- _maybe Erin has this all wrong_.

_Or maybe Mum’s faking it right now._

“Here we go,” Mark says.

We all turn, Mark & Paige carrying their twins over to us.

“Oh, they're beautiful!” Mum says.

“Scott,” Mark says, nodding to the one he's holding. “And Paige has our daughter, Lilly.”

“I’m so happy for you,” Mum replies.

“You want to hold him?”

“That will be lovely.”

Mark steps closer to Mum, carefully handing Scott to her. Once he's settled, Mark steps back. He puts his arm around Paige, & they smile at each other.

“He looks just like you did,” Mum says.

“Always knew he took after his dad,” Paige says.

I can't help but wonder how Erin’s going. She had that terrified look I know all too well just before she left.

****

I open the front door.

“Tyler,” I say, surprised.

“Hey,” he replies, with a smile.

I throw my arms around him. He wraps his arms around me, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

“Erin explained what's going on with your mum,” I say.

“Yeah,” he replies, pulling back a bit. “It's tense over there.”

“Mmm, yeah, I was thinking it would be,” I reply. “How are you? Erin was concerned. All the memories being dragged up.”

He shrugs. “Doing okay,” He replies. “More worried about Erin. Is she still here?”

I nod. “She's out the back with Jay & Felicity.”

He nods & steps round me.

“Hey,” I say, grabbing his wrist.

He stops & looks at me. I shut the door.

“Um… what's going on with her?”

“What do you mean?”

I nervously lick my lips. “It's just… She seemed… angry before,” I reply. “Jay picked it up too. And she admitted there's something she wasn't telling us, something to do with your parents.”

He looks… scared. No, _worried_. Like he does whenever his abuse comes up.

“She… she told you?” He asks. “You know about it?”

“No,” I reply, & he relaxes. I frown. “But you clearly do.”

He shakes his head. “I can't say.”

“Whatever it is, she's scared to tell anyone,” I reply. “Even Jay.”

He looks shocked. “She hasn't told him?”

I shake my head. “She said she doesn't want to drag up memories.”

He nods. “You can't force it out of her.”

“Even if we’re all worried about her?”

“Pipes, it's not something we can make her tell us,” He replies. “It has to be on her terms. She has to be ready to let everyone in. It’s a part of her life she wants to forget.”

“But she told you.”

“Yeah, but…” He sighs. “It was under completely different circumstances. She needed someone to talk to. It was in a moment where… we both needed each other. We needed to help pull the other out of really bad times. Things were heavy for her. I was the only one she could trust. The only one who was there if she needed me. And dragging up those memories? You gotta understand that… that doing that? It’s _hard_. It’s a big thing,  & we can’t back her into opening up. Just be there for her. That’s all we can do.”

I nod. “Okay,” I reply. “It’s just… she’s been through so much since she got here.”

“Which is exactly why we need to let her be in control of this,” He replies. “She deserves to be happy. And she has that chance. With Jay. All of this stuff with Mum? It will blow over soon. If we push her into opening up, it could drag this all out for _months_. I get that you, Aaron, Mark, Paige  & Jay are all concerned about her, but so am I. Yet I’m the only one who understands the full picture. Knowing what she’s been through. Having been through something similar myself. We just need to let her be.”

He turns & heads for the backyard.

“Wait,” I say, stepping after him. “What… what did you mean by having been through something similar?”

But he doesn’t stop.

****

I’m lying on my back on the grass in Piper’s backyard, using my sunglasses to hide the fact that I have my eyes closed. I listen to Felicity’s happy squeals as Jay plays with her not far to my right. But all I see is _him_. And all those bad memories.

I feel a hand on my right arm & I jump. My eyes snap open, & I turn to my right, seeing Jay leaning over towards me. He looks worried, but then nods towards the house. I turn to my left, seeing Tyler standing by the outdoor dining table. I get up & walk over to him.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey,” He replies, with a small smile. “How… are you?”

I sigh. “I close my eyes, &… all I see is him.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“You shouldn’t have to relive all of that.”

“Try telling that to Mum,” I sigh.

He swallows hard. “I get that it’s difficult for you to speak about those years,” He says. “I get it cause… I went through that. Having to speak up about it. But…” He licks his lip. “Wouldn’t it be better to…”

“To what?” I ask. “To tell them all about what he did to me for six years? To admit that my life was slowly ripped apart, that I was stuck in a seemingly never ending nightmare? I may not have been here when you told Mark & Aaron about what he did to you, but I know that you would have struggled. Now, I’m… I’ve been through _so much_ this year. Eddie’s death, all the times I broke up with Jay.” I look over to Jay,  & then back to Tyler. “Eddie threw me back to that hell. My life is _finally_ starting to settle down. I just _can’t_ handle reliving that time again. Even if it’s the right thing to do. I _can’t_.”

“Hey,” He says, stepping over & placing his hands on my arms. “I get it. I just…” He sighs. “I wanted to make sure you’d thought about it.”

I nod. “I have,” I reply. “Mark gave me this look earlier. Actually… more than once. That pleading look.”

He smiles slightly. “You’ve always been his favourite. He’s always looked out for you. Always been fiercely protective of you.”

I nod. “I call it his puppy look.”

He fights back a laugh.

“It makes me want to tell him, to finally let it all out, but…” I shake my head. “I can’t.”

He nods. “When you do feel ready to tell them,” he replies. “I’ll be there. By your side.”

I force a small smile. “Thank you.”

He smiles. “I’ll always be there for you.”

I smile & he reciprocates.

“You know what? Go with them,” He says, nodding towards Jay & Felicity. “Go spend the night at Jay’s. Take the night to be away from all the stress. Clear your head. Be with the two most important people in your life.”

“I… I can’t,” I reply. “I don’t have any clothes.”

“So I’ll bring anything you need around once Mum’s gone,” He replies. “I’ll get Paige or Pipes to help.”

“But that means leaving you-”

“I’ll be fine,” He replies. “They know what I went through. And you know Mark’s going to do that concerned hovering he does. He’s going to do it all night, & you don’t need the extra stress.”

I look over at Jay & Felicity. _Maybe it’s a good idea to go. And Jay will like the idea of the three of us on our own for a night._

I turn back to Tyler & nod. “Okay.”

He smiles. “Good,” He replies. “Just go whenever. I’ll let you know when she’s gone. Then you can message me what you need.”

I nod.

“Come here,” he sighs, pulling me in.

I wrap my arms around his waist as he wraps his around me. I rest my head on his chest & look towards Jay & Felicity… & sigh.

****

I walk Mum out to the waiting taxi.

“Whatever happens,” She says as we walk down the drive. “Look after her. Don't ever reject her the way I did.”

“I really wish I knew what was going on.”

“I wish I could help you understand.”

I give her a small smile. “It's good to see you again, Mum.”

She smiles. “It's good to see you again too, Mark,” She replies. “I’m sorry I couldn't make your wedding. You have a really lovely family.”

“It's fine. It was short notice & I know you were busy.”

She smiles, cupping my cheeks. “You are too kind.”

I smile. “I think it would be best if you not come here tomorrow,” I say. “As much as I love having you around…”

She nods. “I know. You need to do what's right,” She replies. “Erin’s happiness must come first.”

I narrow my eyes. “You’ve changed your tune.”

“Something Tyler said before he left… it made me realise there's a lot to it all than I first realised,” She replies. “And Erin’s happiness is important if I’m going to mend my relationship with her.”

I nod. “Alright,” I reply. “I have tomorrow off. How about I bring the twins to your hotel room & we can have lunch?”

“Sounds perfect.”

I smile. “Good.”

“I should go, before my driver gets impatient.”

I nod, & we hug. We say goodbye & I watch as she climbs into the back of the taxi. I wave bye as it heads down the street. As I watch it reach the end of the street, I realise Jay’s car has gone & I frown.

I take a step towards the Willis house to find out where Erin, Jay & Felicity are, when I spot Tyler making his way across the front garden.

“Tyler.”

“Hey,” he replies, hopping down off the retaining wall.

“Jay’s car is gone.”

He nods. “Yeah,” he replies. “They’ve gone to Jay’s.”

I sigh, shaking my head.

“Don't judge her, Mark,” he replies. “You don't know what's she’s gone through.”

“Because she won't tell me!”

“And why do you think that is?” He asks. “She's _terrified_ of it, Mark! When it was just the two of us, she used to have trouble sleeping because of nightmares caused by-” He stops.

“Caused by what?”

He shakes his head.

“Tyler.”

“She wants to leave it in the past.”

“And what about her & Mum?”

“Don't force her into it,” He replies. “Let Erin fix that on her own time.”

He heads up the driveway.

****

She sighs, drawing my attention from my TV to her. She shuffles her way in front of the couch & then flops down.

“She sleeping?” I ask.

“Yeah,” She replies. “ _Finally_. Took a lot of stories to get her settled.”

“She’s not really used to this place.”

“No, she’s not,” She replies. “Plus… it’s been a stressful afternoon.”

“Mmmm,” I reply. “How are you holding up?”

She groans, rolling her head back.

“Aer?” I ask, leaning over to her.

She looks at me. “Every single muscle in my body is _killing_ me.”

“Come here,” I say. “I’ll massage them for you.”

“Takes too much effort.”

“It will make you feel better.”

She groans. So I slip my arm behind her shoulders & push her up. She grumbles as I slip behind her. I slide my hands up & down her shoulders, feeling her relax. I massage her shoulders, & she moans, her head tilting back.

“Told you it would help,” I whisper into her ear.

“Mmmm,” she hums.

“You feel so tense.”

“It’s been a long day,” she replies, before moaning as she drops her head forward when my thumbs rub circles on the back of her neck.

“Yeah, it has.”

I rub her shoulders, working out the knots in her muscles. I respect her choice not to open up to me- yes, I hate the fact it’s a secret & we promised to be honest & not have secrets, but I can tell how scared she is just _thinking_ about whatever has caused her rift with her Mum. It breaks my heart to see her upset. I’ll do what I can to protect her from that.

I brush her hair back, pushing it over her left shoulder to expose her semi-bare right shoulder. I lean forward & kiss her exposed skin. She moans, sinking back against me.

“I think it’s time to go to our bed,” I say. “I can massage the rest of you better if you’re lying down.”

“You’re going to have to carry me.”

I smile. I get up & stand in front of the couch. I flick off the TV before I lift her up into my arms, & she snuggles her face into my neck as she holds my right shoulder with her left hand. I carry her through to our bedroom.

****

I roll onto my back after my massage, feeling much better & stare up at Jay.

“Feel better?” He asks.

I nod. “A lot.”

He smiles. “Good.”

His eyes drift over my body- I’m wearing nothing but my undies. He bites his bottom lip. Smirking, I slide my hand down over my stomach, slipping beneath the material of my undies & rub my sex. I arch my back, head tipping back as I rub myself.

“Aer,” He groans.

“Join me any time, Jay,” I reply.

****

I shift to kneel between her legs & pull her hand from her undies. She whimpers in protest, but I push my left thumb against her undies above her clit & she gasps. I lie down, get the material of her undies between my teeth, pull back & then let it go. The material snaps back to her & she sharply inhales. I stick my tongue out, teasing her through her undies until she’s squirming. I push her undies to one side & slide my tongue through her folds.

****

He grips my hips, holding them still as I squirm, falling apart into his mouth. He sits up as I come down & pulls my undies off. I wiggle one finger, beckoning him closer, & he leans forward, placing his hands either side of my body & lowering himself till our chests brush. I cup his cheeks, pulling him down & I moan as I taste myself. He lowers his body, pressing against me & rocks his hips, both of us moaning.

I reach down & grab fistfuls of his shirt, pulling it up. I toss it aside as he pushes his bulge against my sex. I slide my hand into his sweatpants & boxers, wrapping my hand around his length & tug it. He groans & nips my shoulder. He reaches down & rubs my clit furiously. I cry out, back arching as my vision blurs- I could easily fall apart again. I push his pants & boxers down, & he kicks them off one leg at a time.

I push him aside, making him drop onto the bed & straddle him. I rub my sex against his length, both of us biting back a moan. I wrap my hand around his length, holding it up & slowly lower myself onto it. I bite my lip & moan as his head slips inside. I sigh as I sink down, taking him all the way in.

****

She tilts her head back as she moves up & down. _She's so damn beautiful._ I push my hips up as she lowers & she whimpers. I place my hands on her hips, sliding up onto her back & guide her down to me. I wrap my arms around the small of her back, pinning her against me & thrust fast & hard. She drops her head, panting into my ear as her nails dig into my chest. I suck the base of her neck, right where she likes it.

She lets out a long moan as she falls apart, her whole body trembling. I don’t slow my pace, seeking out my high & I kiss her shoulder. I feel mine approaching & I push her hips down- she whimpers as I push myself against her special spot, & then she hits the top of her vocal range as we both fall apart.

****

I can sense his tenseness. I roll over, finding him lying on his back, right arm bent up with his right hand under his head. I shift closer, propping my head up on my right arm.

“What's wrong?” I ask.

He sighs. “Erin's shutting me out again.”

“You sure?”

“She won't tell me what's behind her being so angry with Mum,” He replies. “She used to confide in me. And yet… she's not. Instead, she's telling Tyler.”

“Isn't it good, though?” I ask. “That she's developing a closer bond to her other brothers. From what you’ve all told me, you & her were the closest.”

“How am I meant to understand why she's determined to keep Mum out of her life when she's refusing to explain it to me?”

“Maybe she's trying to protect you.”

He turns to me, frowning. “Protect me?”

“It's clear that you mean a lot to her. And I know what it's like to have something… to know something that could potentially break my relationship with you,” I reply. “I know what it's like to fear losing you. And it's instinctual to protect it.”

“So why tell Tyler?”

“Don't over read it, Mark. Just be there for her. Let her open up to you when she's ready.”

He sighs. “I’m worried about her.”

“I’d be worried if you weren't,” I reply, placing my hand on his chest.

“I hate it when she keeps me on the out.”

“She let you in last time, but when she was ready to.”

“The last time I saw the terrified look in her eyes before today, was just after Eddie died. And I came _so_ close to losing her for good.”

“But you didn't.”

“I won't always be that lucky.”

“I know I don't really know her as well as you do,” I reply. “But I know Brennans can be stubborn. The more you try to get her to open up, the more she's going to dig her heels in & she won't let you in on whatever this is.”

“I just want to help her,” He replies. “I can't just watch her be like this.”

“You can't make her if she's not ready.”

He sighs, shaking his head. I cups his cheek.

“Let her come to you,” I reply. “That's all you can do.”

****

I lay my head on his chest, shifting closer & draping my right leg over his legs as he adjusts the covers over me. He kisses my forehead.

“I wish I could tell you what's going on,” I say. “I feel like I’m betraying you. Like I’m breaking our promise not to keep secrets.”

“Hey,” he softly replies. He places his hand under my chin & gently pushes it up so I look at him. “I get that… whatever it is, I get that it's too painful for you. So as much as you're keeping it a secret, you're being honest about why. And that's enough for me. I’m not going to push you into telling me. It will happen when it happens.”

I smile, tears filling my eyes. “Marry me.”

He smirks. “Only when it can be official.”

I groan. “That could take _aaaaaaages_!”

“But it's going to be so worth the wait.”

“I don't want to wait,” I reply. “Today's made me realise that I need you. You're my rock. And… my parents didn't do things right. Zack… wasn't right for me. But you? You're the one I need. You're the one who brings me back when the world gets too dark.”

He cups my cheek. “You have that,” He replies. “I’m not leaving you. I’m madly in love with you. I’m always going to be there for you… & Felicity.”

“Even though I’m a broken mess?”

“Aer,” he sighs.

“It's the truth.”

“Whatever you’ve been through… it doesn't define you,” He replies. “Because you're here. You made it through god knows what hell… you’ve been through it over & over & over. But you're so strong. You don't need me. Not for that. Because I’m not a part of that part of your life.” He strokes my cheek with his thumb. “Because I’m the start of the rest of your life. The chapter where you don't have to fight that hell. The chapter where I get to see that gorgeous smile.”

I turn into his hand as I close my eyes.

“You're a beautiful, strong woman, Erin,” He says. “You don't need a man. I love you. I’m going to be here, but… you don't need me. You can do all of that & more on your own.”

“You're too good for me.”

“Stop underestimating your worth, Erin.”

“Maybe I wasn't shown how to.”

He frowns. I rest my head on his chest. He kisses the top of my head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Erin’s hiding a dark secret that only Tyler knows. What is it, & when will she admit the truth? What will it do to her & Mark’s relationship? How will Erin react when she finds out her Mum is still in town?


	78. G.N.O

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things come to a head between Erin & her mum. Trying to escape the drama, Erin asks Madison and Elly to join her for a night out... with surprising reveals & outcomes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm breaking my heart writing Erin. Have no idea why my default for her is to make her unhappy all the time... But what she's hiding is massive, & I can't wait to reveal it all. Oh, and it gets smutty towards the end...

I walk into _The Waterhole_ , ready for work, but stop when I spot her sitting at one of the tables. I glance around, relieved that Sheila isn’t here. I march over to her table & place my hands on it.

“You need to leave,” I say.

“Erin,” She says.

“Go back to Adelaide,” I say. “Mark & Aaron may be accepting of you, but I’m not. So you need to leave.”

“I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you when you needed me,” She replies. “And I’m sorry that you can’t forgive me for it. But your anger towards me should not be used to prevent me from seeing the others.”

“You don’t get it, do you?”

“Get what?”

“Why I can’t let you back in.”

“It’s about me turning you away when you were pregnant.”

I shake my head. “It pre-dates that,” I reply. I sit down, & lean forward. “You know what he did. Not to just Tyler, but to _me_.”

She looks shocked. Shocked & then her expression drops. _Guilt_. All the confirmation I need.

I sink back into the chair, my chest feeling so tight I can't breathe. I’ve suspected it ever since their divorce, but I’ve always hoped I was wrong. Because how could both parents let me down so much, simultaneously but by so different ways?

“Why didn’t you stop him?” I ask, tears stinging my eyes.

“Erin… I… I…”

“How many years did you know?” I ask. “How many years did you ignore the fact that he was doing it? How long could you have prevented him but didn’t? How could you just let him continue to _hurt_ me that way?”

“I figured it out right before I left,” She replies. “I realised something wasn’t right. The way he looked at you.”

“So the whole divorce,” I reply. “You knew?”

She nods. I hold back the urge to vomit.

“I went off the rails after that,” She replies. “I couldn’t cope with the fact that he-”

“Why didn’t you get us out of there?”

“What good was I to you both?” She replies. “I was a mess. I was drinking all the time.”

“An alcoholic mother will _always_ be the better option than being stuck with _him_!” I reply, hitting the table with both hands, making her jump  & other patrons look at us.

I clench my fists, closing my eyes as I try to calm myself.

“I was just starting to clean myself up. I was slowly stopping my reliance on alcohol to get me through the day. I had just started that, with the plan to maybe one day get my two babies back. And then you came to me,” She says. “Begging me to reassure you because you were going to be a single mum.”

I look at her.

“And… and… my first thoughts were of him. I couldn’t handle the thought of-” She bites her lip.

I frown. “Thought of what?”

She shakes her head.

“Mum.”

“You were better off on your own,” She says. “Better off raising your child without my involvement. No kid should have a grandmother like me.”

“So instead of being upfront with me, you refused to talk to me,” I reply. “Made me feel like I meant _nothing_ to you. When it was the other way round. You were trying to protect me.”

She nods.

“But why?” I ask. “Why push me away? Why not just tell me that you hated yourself?” I lean forward, resting my arms on the table. “I’ve spent the last few years _hating_ you for treating me that way. That you would do that to me. That I lost _both_ my parents without either of them dying.”

“I get that you’re angry with me, Erin,” She replies. “That’s why I’m here now. To try to make amends with you. I made a lot of mistakes.”

Tears sting my eyes. “Maybe it’s too late to fix.”

“Erin.”

I shake my head.

“I admit I handled it all wrong, & I’m sorry for hurting you so much,” She says. “I’ve spent the last year & a half getting myself clean. Making myself the woman you, your daughter & the others deserve to have in their lives. What else must happen before you open up?”

I hesitate. “I don't think there's a way to fix things,” I say. “I think there's too much damage done for us to ever come back from.”

“If I could go back in time & take you & Tyler with me, then I would,” She replies.

“I don’t get it. How you could possibly think leaving us behind was ever okay,” I reply. “How you could know we were in danger & still choose being drunk over us. What kind of mother does that?”

“Erin, I-”

“Save it,” I reply, before getting to my feet.

“Please, my darling.”

“I am _not_ your darling!” I snap. “I haven't been that in _years_.”

“Let me put things right.”

“You just don't get it, do you?” I reply. “You _can't_ do that!”

“You're not giving me the chance!” She exclaims, getting to her feet. “I want to fix things, get to know your beautiful little girl. Be a part of her life.”

“You’ve had the chance to,” I reply. “You _always_ had the chance to. But _every_ time you had the choice, you _always_ put yourself before me. Before Felicity. _You_ brought this upon yourself.”

She stares at me, shocked.

“No matter what was going on in your head back then, you missed the point,” I say. “Because a mother _always_ puts her child or children’s safety _ahead_ of her own. You may have been drinking back then, but had you made the effort to defend us, then you wouldn't have been such a mess. You would have had Tyler  & I there to keep you going. But you wouldn't know that, because you _never_ gave us the chance. We were three broken people, who could have built a better life away from _him_. But you. _You_ were meant to be the mature one. The one who shows us how to handle things. And you _left_.”

****

As I approach the door into _The Waterhole_ , on my way to get something for lunch, I can hear shouting. Erin’s shouting. Frowning, I pull the door open & step inside.

“You abandoned us, Mum!” Erin shouts. She continues normally. “There was a time when I wished that you had done the right thing. That you’d left, but come back & saved us. And the days after you shunted me when I was pregnant? I cried myself to sleep, wishing that you would call & tell me you changed your mind. Then you could have been in Felicity’s life. But you threw that all away, for what? To get blind drunk!”

“Oh, baby girl,” Mum says, reaching to hug Erin.

“NO!” Erin shouts, batting Mum’s arms away.

Neither seem to notice everyone is watching them. Mum tries to touch her again, blocked every time. I quickly cross to them, sliding between them to keep them apart.

“What's going on?” I ask, looking between them.

Neither of them answer.

“One of you explain,” I say. “ _Now_.”

Erin shakes her head. “I’m out of here.”

“Erin!” I say, reaching for her as she leaves.

She dodges my hand & leaves. I sigh as she walks out the door, turning to Mum.

****

“I’m worried about you,” Mark says, making me look up.

After storming out, I came to the lake & sat down on some wooden steps. He sits down beside me.

“I hate the way you shut me out lately,” He says. “You used to tell me everything. I love having you here, Aer, but… I hate you keeping secrets from me. And I hate seeing you be so aggressive with Mum.”

“I hate it too,” I reply. “A part of me wants to tell you everything.”

“Please let me in, Aer.”

I shake my head.

“Can you at least tell me why you're losing it at Mum?”

I look at my hands. “There's a lot of dark things you don't know about our parents.”

“So why don't you get me up to speed?”

I shake my head.

“Aer,” He sighs.

“Look, there's stuff that happened. Stuff of nightmares,” I reply, looking at him. “Maybe even more. And I look at you, I see the way you plead with your eyes, & I want to break down & tell you all of the horrible things but I just can't bring up those memories.”

He puts his arm around me & I collapse sideways against him. I rest my head on his shoulder.

“I’m going to be here for you,” He softly says, gently rubbing my shoulder. “Whenever you want to break down those walls.”

I nod. “I hope I can one day.”

He kisses the top of my head & I close my eyes. I remember the way we used to sit when we were younger. Even when he was a teenager & should be off hanging out with friends, he would always make time to sit down on our steps- be the front or back steps- & listen to me as I tell him whatever was troubling me. No matter how small & insignificant it was, he was always there. That got harder once I understood what was going on, when all I wanted to do was cry & fall into his arms & tell him everything. Instead, I used to sit there & cry. Just having him there, hugging me was enough. Knowing that there was someone there who cared about me no matter what. _That_ was what mattered.

And now? We’re drifting apart. Back under the same roof, but… drifting apart. I want to get back to that. Opening up to him. Confiding in him. Because what happened to me- those six years of hell- shouldn't be what stops me from letting him in.

I open my eyes, knowing right now is the time to tell him. I sit up & look at him, watching as he looks worried.

“Mark, I need-”

His mobile rings, cutting me off & I sigh.

“Aer?”

I shake my head. “Just answer it.”

He nods, giving my temple a quick kiss before getting up as he brings his mobile out. He steps away as he answers it & I watch him. That's when I remember we’re not at home. We’re not sitting on the steps at home. We’re at the lake beside the _Lassiter's_ complex. I sigh, relived to have the interruption- _it's not the right place to open up about something like this_.

****

I walk into _The Waterhole_ , spotting Sheila chatting to a blonde woman seated at one of the tall tables. I cross to them.

“Hey Sheila,” I say. “Sorry to interrupt.”

“Hey, love,” She replies. “Not at all. You're just in time. I wanted to introduce you two anyway.”

“Oh?”

Sheila nods. “Erin, meet Madison.”

I turn to the young woman & smile. “It's nice to meet you,” I say, shaking her hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Erin.”

“Before we go any further,” I say, turning to Sheila. “I want to apologise for earlier.”

“Don't be,” Sheila replies. “I’ve seen a lot worse in here than the little shouting match you did, love.”

“Still… it wasn't professional of me.”

Sheila places her hand on my shoulder. “You should see my family.”

I smile.

“Anyway… you & Madison are perfect for each other.”

I raise my eyebrow. “I am really hoping you're not trying to set us up on a date.”

“Oh, hush girl! I know you're with that hunky British crooner!” She replies. “No, I thought you’d be able to help Madison get a job.”

“You _are_ aware that _I’m_ your boss, right?”

“Technically you're sort of,” Sheila replies. “Young Madison here is in your field.”

I turn to Madison, surprised. “You're in PR?”

She nods. “I am & recently moved here. So I’m looking for a job.”

“And I thought you’d be the perfect one to ask,” Sheila says.

“Well… I… I’m not sure,” I reply.

“That's fine,” Madison replies, looking sad.

“I’m not judging you, Madison,” I reply. “It's just… I’m not in charge.”

“You co-run that business with Aaron,” Sheila replies.

“Yes, but if you understood the arrangement, you would know that Aaron has more control. We co-run it, but he’s still got the majority,” I reply. “I would have to run this past him before I can definitively say yes.” I look at Madison. “Even if we can't employ you, I’ll see if we can take you on as an intern. I know it would be very helpful if we had someone else to help organise everything.”

“You could spend more time with that gorgeous little girl of yours,” Sheila replies.

“You have a daughter?” Madison asks.

I nod. “She's a little over two years old.”

“Awww, that's cute.”

“She’s cute like her mum,” Sheila replies.

I smile. “Excuse me for a minute,” I reply. “I should call Aaron.”

“Who's Aaron?” Madison asks. “I mean, I know he's your colleague…”

“One of her three hot brothers,” Sheila replies.

“I’m gonna go now,” I reply. I look at Madison. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Madison nods. I step around Sheila, crossing to a quieter part of the pub. I call Aaron & explain the situation.

He sighs. “I don't know, Erin,” He says. “I don't know if we can afford it.”

“I know, Az,” I reply. “But Sheila’s here, doing her… thing. I’m backed into a corner here. Besides, surely we can take on an unpaid intern for a while? It would be good to have an extra pair of hands & eyes helping out.”

“Alright. I’ll look into the finances,” He replies. “If we can, I’ll offer her a job. Otherwise we can negotiate an internship.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Talk to you later.”

“Yep.”

I hang up & cross back to Madison, glad to find her alone.

“How did it go?”

“He’s gonna see if we can afford to pay you,” I reply. “Otherwise we’ll discuss an internship.”

“Thank you so much!”

“Moneybags will be fuming to hear that,” Sheila says, stepping up with a drink for Madison.

I frown. “Why would Paul care?”

“Did I forget to tell you earlier?” Sheila replies. “Madison _Robinson_.”

I gape, turning to Madison. “Please tell me you're not one of his many children.”

“He’s my uncle.”

“Well, hopefully he's the only one in your family who hates mine.”

She looks confused.

“We have a lot to discuss.”

“Would you like a drink while you do?” Sheila asks.

“Just a lemonade, thanks Sheila.”

“Nothing stronger?” She asks. “Say… alcoholic?”

I tilt my head as I look at her.

“Alright, alright,” She replies, putting her hands up in surrender. “One lemonade coming right up.”

I watch her leave before turning & chuckling as I sit down opposite Madison.

****

**That evening…**

She walks over, wearing a figure-hugging black dress & leans on the bar, her arms folded making her cleavage push up, already accentuated by the low cut of her dress & I have the intense urge to ditch my post, take her into one of the bathrooms & make love. To feel her body against mine, to hear her pant, to kiss her & make her moan. I want to have her in my life- not just as my sister’s teacher, but as my girlfriend. I want to her to be the first thing I see every morning, & the last thing I see at night.

“You free tonight?” I ask, forcing back the images of pushing her against the wall or my bed (or both) & making her scream my name as she falls apart.

“Why?”

I shrug, getting the open bottle of her favourite wine. “Thought we could meet after my shift. For... drinks.”

She smirks, & I wonder if she knows I mean more than that. “That sounds nice.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Is that a yes?”

“It's a... I feel guilty I already have plans.”

I lean over the bench, using the fact I’m putting her glass of wine down as a cover, & say quietly, “Cancel & be with me.”

“I don't think your ex would appreciate that.”

I frown. “You're hanging with Erin?”

She nods. “I got talked into being on some ‘Girls Night Out’,” She replies. “Her & some other blonde woman. Hitting the town for the night.”

“I’m sure she wouldn't mind having a rain-check.”

“Not in the mood she was in,” She replies, lifting her glass up to her lips.

“Is she okay?” I ask, worried.

She shrugs. “Something personal,” She replies, putting her glass down. “Wouldn't say what. Just keen to avoid being home.”

I nod. “Probably best not to leave her hanging, then.”

She nods. “But if she's boring…” She says, leaning forward. “Will your offer still stand?”

My eyes drift down to her cleavage, & I imagine ripping that dress open. I drag my eyes up, slowly taking in her exposed neck, before meeting her eyes. “Possibly,” I reply, smirking. I grab a piece of paper & write my number down. I hand it to her.

“What's this?”

“What does it look like?”

“And what do you expect me to do with this?”

I smirk- I love it when she plays hard to get. I wink, fighting the urge to pull her into the bathroom. She smiles, before taking another sip.

****

“Hey,” Mark says as I shut the front door.

“Hey,” I reply, stepping over to him. I perch on the couch’s armrest. “What’s up?”

“What were you going to say earlier?”

“When?”

“Aer,” He sighs.

“At the lake.”

“Yep.”

I hesitate. We’re alone & this is the perfect time to open up to him.

“Aer,” He says, taking my hand in both of his.

If I tell him, he’s going to get angry. Or broody. And I can’t leave him when he’s like that. But I also can’t bail on my plans- I’m seeing Madison & Elly for a night out.

“Aer,” He says, squeezing my hand.

“It’s nothing.”

“No it’s not,” He replies. “I saw the way you looked when my phone rang. I saw the disappointment. And yet you told me to answer it. So now you can.”

“I can’t go into it right now,” I reply, getting to my feet.

“Aer.”

“I’m meeting some friends for drinks,” I reply. “I need to go get ready.”

“Just sit & talk to me for a few minutes.”

I shake my head. “It's not that kind of talk.”

I turn & walk off before he can say anything.

****

“Have you heard of the game, ‘Never Have I Ever’?” Elly asks, as she follows Madison & I into Madison’s apartment.

We’d been out at a nightclub in the city, but after a couple of hours had decided to come back to Madison’s… after stopping off to get more alcohol. Mainly vodka.

“Yeah, that's the game where you say a statement, & anyone who has done it drinks?” I ask.

“Yeah, that's the one,” She replies, resting her forearms on the kitchen bench. “I was thinking… we have booze. And it's a fun way to find out more about each other.”

I look at Madison. “What do you think?”

“Oh… I… I don't know.”

“Oh, come on, Maddy!” Elly says. “Live a little!”

Madison sighs. “Fine,” She says. “But we're going to find out how dull my life is.”

“I’m sure you don't,” I reply. “Now… where are the shot glasses?”

“Uhh… not sure if there's any,” Madison replies. “But the glasses are in the corner cupboard on the top.”

I nod. “You two go sit down while I grab them.”

I pass Elly as I head for the cupboard. I open the corner one, & find a bunch of shot glasses. I get three out, shut the door & head over to Madison & Elly, who have settled at the dining table.

“Here we go,” I say, setting the glasses down on the table.

“Awesome!” Elly says, opening the bottle of vodka. “Now… rules.”

“Do we really need any?” I reply, sitting down across from Elly, Madison to my left at the head of the table. “We take turns saying the statement, everyone who has drinks.”

“Well… yeah we do,” Elly replies, pouring three shots. “How do we determine the order?”

I shrug. “Whoever has one goes?”

“Sounds good to me,” Madison replies.

“And we go as dirty as we want,” Elly says.

“As long as it's not too graphic, okay?” I reply. “I don't want super dirty images in my mind.”

“Alright,” Elly sighs. “But you two are no fun. Which is sad, given I’m the eldest.”

“Yeah, well… we’re not party animals like you.”

“Ladies, behave,” Madison replies.

“Okay, let’s get this party started,” Elly replies. “Shall I go first?”

Madison & I nod.

“Never have I ever… kissed my male best friend.”

Elly & I have our shots. I down mine quickly, clenching my jaw as the strong aftertaste hits.

“Okay, spill missy,” Elly says.

“I was at Uni,” I reply. “Pashed him one night.”

“Uh uh, more.”

“There's nothing more to it,” I reply. “Now you share.”

“Too many times to recite.”

I roll my eyes. “Of _course_.”

“Who wants to go next?” Elly asks, refilling our glasses.

“Never have I ever,” I say. “Stolen something from a shop.”

Again, Elly drinks. _Betting she will drink every question._

“It was a really nice dress I wanted but couldn't afford,” She replies, filling her glass. “But security caught me on the way out. Thankfully, they let me go with just a warning.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Thought you would have managed to avoid getting caught,” I reply. “Or was the security guard some hottie you wanted to have an excuse to flirt with?”

“Guess you’ll never know.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep,” She replies, & then smirks.

“Never have I ever,” I reply. “Flirted with a security officer.”

The smirk fades from her face. “Oh, that's… urgh!” She replies, before downing another shot.

I shrug. “You walked into that one.”

“Never have I ever dropped my panties for a hot guy I barely know,” Elly says.

“Oh, you bitch!” I say, as she & I pick up our glasses.

We’re squinting from our shots, when I catch sight of Madison downing hers.

“Oh, Maddy!” I say. “Glad to see you finally join the ranks!”

She smiles weakly.

“Do tell us,” Elly says.

Madison shakes her head.

“Oh, come on,” Elly says. “We’ve told stories.”

“If she doesn't want to, don't force her, Elly,” I reply.

“But aren't you curious?” Elly replies. “Timid Madison has slept with a stranger.”

“Yes, but I also respect her choice not to say.”

Elly looks at Madison, & I can tell she really wants to push it.

“Fine,” Elly says. “Who wants to go next?”

“Never have I ever… moved interstate permanently,” I say.

“Really?” Elly says, as we all pick up our glasses. “Such an obvious one!”

“Well, we gotta balance out your sex ones,” I reply, after my shot.

“I think it's time Madison comes up with one,” Elly replies, filling our glasses again.

“Oh, uh… I…” She stammers.

“Come on, Madison.”

“Never have I ever… been in love with someone who I can't have,” Madison replies.

We all drink.

“Who wants to spill the deets first?” Elly asks.

I point at her.

“He was married,” Elly replies. “That summarises it.”

“A guy at my school,” Madison adds. “He never noticed me.”

Elly looks at me.

“It's too complicated,” I say.

“Now I want to know more.”

“Just drop it, Elly.”

“Why?”

“Because I don't want to talk about it, okay?” I snap.

“Woah, okay!” She puts her hands up in surrender. “Sorry.”

I sigh. “I’m sorry,” I reply. “I just… don't wanna talk about it.”

“I shouldn't be trying to push you two into telling me stuff you don't want to.”

“Never have I ever kissed a girl,” Madison replies.

Surprisingly, I’m the only one to drink.

“Okay, _this_ you _have_ to explain,” Elly says. “Or I’m gonna get you so drunk you’ll tell me.”

“I was at uni-”

“Seems to be a recurring theme for your stories.”

“I lived on campus, in one of the dorms,” I reply. “My roommate was a lesbian… Danni. One night, when we were drinking & chatting, she… kissed me.”

“Never have I ever… slept with a woman,” Elly says. “And I don't mean sharing a bed with one if your friends. I mean getting it on with a woman. You know… all hot & heavy.”

“Subtle,” I reply.

She shrugs. “It shouldn't be a problem if…” she fades off as she sees me down a shot. “I _knew_ it!” She exclaims.

“Shut up, Elly,” I reply, setting the glass down.

“Was it with that Danni chick the night you got drunk & she kissed you?”

“What if I said I’m not telling?”

“I say you're full of shit.”

I sigh. “Fine,” I reply. “Yes, it was.”

“Oooo!” Elly replies. “Tell me more.”

I give her a hard stare. “There's not much to say,” I reply. “I wanted to explore my sexuality. So… she helped.”

“Did you like it?”

“ _Elly!_ ” Madison exclaims.

“Yeah, I did,” I reply. “And I’m sure that was better than anything you’ve had.”

****

“What’s the best sex you’ve had?” Madison asks, as Elly pours out the last of the vodka.

“We’re playing Never Have I Ever, remember?” Elly replies.

“I know, I know,” Madison replies. “I’m just curious.”

“Got your eyes on someone?”

“ _Nooo_ ,” Madison replies, blushing.

“Oh my god! _Spill_!”

“There was a guy.”

“ _Duh_.”

“Who… I slept with, against my own instincts. I don’t normally jump into bed with guys I’ve barely met. But…”

“You just _had_ to ride him.”

“Yeah,” Madison replies, blushing more.

“So what happened?”

“He…” Madison sighs. “Still hung up on an ex.”

“Ooo, ouch,” Elly replies. “That’s never a good thing.”

“What about you?” I ask Elly.

She smirks. “The other week,” She replies. “Pressed against the wall in the female toilets of a city nightclub.”

“Doesn’t happen to be… the one we were at tonight?”

Elly shrugs, a smirk tugging her lips.

I gape. “Wow.”

“God, he was _gooooood!_ ” Elly says, half collapsing onto the table. “And I could be with him right now.”

“ _What?!_ Seriously?!” I ask. “You picked _us_ over _him_?”

“You had that miserable look on your face,” Elly replies, resting her chin on her left arm. “Guilt trip perfection.”

“I would have been happy to let you go had I known there was a guy giving you incredible sex.”

“So addictive.”

“Okay, so who is he?”

She presses her lips together.

“Elly,” I say sternly.

She sighs. “His name is Ned, & yes it’s the one who lives two doors from me.”

I gape. “Oh. My. _GOD!_ ”

“What?”

“How on Earth did you…” I gape. “He is- & I know this for a fact, given my sister-in-law is his half-sister- he’s home alone tonight, & you’re draped over this table instead of him!”

“Like I said,” She replies. She then waves her hand in a circle right in front of my face. “Guilt trip.”

“Okay, that’s it. We’re ending this right now,” I reply. “You & me are gonna get a taxi. I’m gonna go home, but you’re gonna go get that hunk.”

“I don’t know,” Elly replies, sitting up.

“I’ve seen you two. There’s sparks. And I’ve seen the way he looks at you. He _wants_ you. He wants you _so baaaad_. So you better give it a go,” I reply. “And if that’s too much… go anyway. Why turn down incredible sex?”

Elly checks the time on her phone. “It’s late,” She replies. “Very late.”

“So what?” I ask. “I’m sure he won’t mind the late night booty call.” I look her up & down. “Especially if it's you.”

She sighs.

“Elly,” I say. I reach over the table & take hold of her hand. “I’m rooting for you to root him.”

****

“So it’s not weird for you that I’m on my way to… root… your ex?” I ask as we sit in the back of the taxi.

“I wouldn’t be encouraging it if I wasn’t okay with it,” She replies, head tilted back on the head rest & smiles.

“We’re…. we’re both drunk.”

“I found out on my birthday from him that he not only knew you… he’d been _with_ you.”

“And you were fine with that?” I ask. “That he’d moved on so quick?”

She nods. “I want him to be happy. He wanted that with me, but I couldn’t.”

****

We pull up outside mine. We pay our driver & climb out my side of the car. We watch the taxi drive off, before I turn to her.

“I love him… & I love _you_ ,” I reply, poking her chest. “And I wanna see you both happy. And I think that can happen with each other. So go have incredible sex with that incredible man.”

“Or you could.”

I shake my head, so much I almost topple over, using her for support. “Nope,” I reply. “Nope. There’s an incredible man waiting for me in my bed right now. I’m gonna go in & cuddle him.”

****

I drag my hand over my face as I make my way to the front door, woken by someone knocking constantly. I unlock it & pull it open, barely having time to register her before she's jumping me- lips crashing against mine as she grabs fistfuls of my shirt.

“Elly?” I ask, holding her back.

“Where's your bed?” She asks, looking around.

“You're drunk.”

“You're hot.”

“Elly,” I sigh.

“I've been thinking.”

“More like drinking,” I mutter.

“And you've been on my mind _all_ night.”

“Have I now?” I raise my eyebrow.

“Mmmmhmmm,” she replies, nodding. “And I've decided to take you up on your offer.”

“At almost two a.m?”

“Well... I only just got free,” She replies, tapping my nose.

“Okay, I’m taking you home.”

“No!” She says, shaking her head.

“Elly, you're wasted.”

“I… want… _you_ ,” She replies, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I want you to take me to your room, & make love to me.”

“Not when you're this drunk.”

“Oh, Ned! Ned, Ned, Ned, Neddy, Ned Ned Ned!”

“Elly.”

“I haven't been able to get you off my mind since that night we first met,” She says. “And I’ve been kidding myself all this time that I can live without you.” She plays with the hair on the back of my neck. “When I walked into _The Waterhole_ earlier,  & I saw you… standing there behind the bar in that black uniform… I wanted to pull you into the bathroom & ride you.” She slides her right hand over my shoulder & lightly hits my chest. “So why don't you stop resisting… take me to your bed… & lets do what we both clearly want to do.”

I open my mouth to reply but she pulls me in, pressing her lips to mine as she presses herself against me. That's when I break, when my need for her is too much to resist. I push her backwards & she moans as her back hits the wall. A part of me wants to lift her up & take her right here, but I want her in my bed more.

I break our kiss, earning a whimper from her. I shut the door, locking it before pulling her off the wall & turn her to my left. I step behind her & guide her down the hallway to my room, thankful for the fact that Lauren & Dad have gone away for a few days. Elly's not in the right state to be quiet.

She turns to me, giggling as she walks backwards, pulling me with her. She pulls me harder, tugging me into her & captures my lips as she presses herself against me. I grip her hips, smirking against her lips when she moans as I dig my fingers into her.

She tugs my shirt off, letting it drop on the floor & slides her hands over my body. She bites her lip as she slides her hands around.

“Hot, hot, hot,” She mutters. “ _Sooooo hot_!”

She turns us around & pushes me onto the bed, before crawling on beside me. She places her hand on my boxers, cupping my bulge & I moan. She smirks.

She pulls the front of my boxers down, wraps her hand around my length & rubs her hand up & down it. I clench my fist, wishing I could rub her. She leans over & flicks the tip with her tongue, smirking as I groan.

She slides me into her mouth, head quickly bobbing up & down as she works fast. I jerk my hips as I moan, watching as she moves her head & hand.

I let out a low groan as I reach my climax, hips jerking & she slides me deeper into her mouth. She holds me until I come down, taking her time to lick every inch of my length clean.

I sit up as she does, cup her cheek & pull her in for a kiss. I know she's completely wasted & I shouldn't be taking advantage, but... _I need her so much_.

I wrap my other arm around her, twisting us to lie her down & kiss my way down her neck as I slide my hands under her dress. I knead her bra covered breasts & she moans, closing her eyes & tilting her head back.

I strip her slowly, watching as she squirms, desperate to have me. I lean down & pull her left nipple into my mouth. I tease it as I knead her right breast, watching as she struggles to stay in control of her own body. I swap to her right nipple, flicking it with my tongue & lightly nipping it, gripping her sides tightly when she moves too much. I sit up & push her legs apart so I can kneel between them. I rub her sex, watching as she tilts her head back. I lie down, lightly kissing her & smirk as her hips involuntarily jerk.

****

I moan as he licks me, slow at first & then fast. He then alternates between the two. I push my hips up but he pushes them back down, using his hands to pin them down.

“Oh god! YESSSSSSS!!!!” I exclaim, squirming as his tongue delves inside.

I slide my hands into his hair & dig my nails into his scalp, pushing him deeper. He lifts his right hand from my hip & pushes three fingers into me. I gasp as he pumps hard, his tongue flicking from side to side over my clit.

****

She cries out as she falls apart. I lower my mouth, licking her juices as I continue to pump my fingers, working her through it, smirking as she whimpers, her whole body trembling.

She stills & I stop. I slowly pull my fingers out & lick them clean, fully aware that she's watching.

****

I pull him up, hungrily claiming his lips, moaning as I taste myself on his lips & tongue. I wrap my legs around his hips, his length rubbing my folds. I need him to make me scream, to feel that high- that incredible high- only he can bring.

I reach down, wrap my hand around his length & rub it. I guide him towards my opening, lifting my hips slightly & whimper as my sex stretches around him.

He thrusts fast & I whimper, overwhelmed by the intense pleasure. I dig my nails into his back & he thrusts even faster.

I see stars, my whole body feeling on fire as the most intense orgasm hits.

****

I flip her, still panting as she comes down & I slide a pillow under her whole body, supporting her from her shoulders to her hips. I push inside her again, smirking as she moans. I lie down, pressing my chest against her back, using my arms to hold my weight & slowly rock my hips. I kiss her shoulder, watching her fingers curl with every thrust to grip the doona.

I push my right hand between her & the pillow, & flick her nipple. She moans, pushing her hips back.

She reaches her left hand back, grabbing my left wrist & pulls my hand up, causing me to fall completely onto her. She drops my hand near her breast & I get the message. I cup both her breasts, squeezing them as I thrust. She grips the doona again, moaning all the time. _Loudly_.

“Oh, god! YESSSSSSS!!!!” She moans. “That's it, babe.”

I can feel she’s almost at her high again. She turns to look at me over her left shoulder & I rest my head against hers. I thrust harder, determined to elicit one more orgasm from her.

She screams my name when it hits, her hips involuntarily jerking back & I groan as mine hits, my thrusts slowing as we both come down.

****

I settle on my side, head on a pillow as Ned pulls the covers up over us. He lies down, hooks an arm around my waist & pulls me closer. I settle my head on his chest, draping my arm over his chest. He drapes his left arm behind me, his nose nuzzled into my hair.

****

“Erin?” I mumble, feeling the bed shift beside me.

“Go back… go back to sleep,” She slurs.

I open my eyes just as she flops down, her blonde hair covering her face. She's lying awkwardly & completely naked. I push myself up & pull the covers up over her.

“Make love to me,” She says.

“You need to sleep.”

“Fuck me & then I will.”

I lie down, pushing the last strands of her hair out of her face. “I will happily hold you, but I’m not going to make love when you’re this drunk.”

She rubs her hand over the bulge in my boxers. I bit back a moan.

“You need to sleep.”

She shakes her head, pushing herself up. She climbs onto me, straddling me & grinds her hips.

“I want you,” She says. “And I wanna try & have a baby. I wanna make you a real Daddy.”

“Not tonight, babe,” I reply. “And I’m already a Daddy. Felicity loves me as if I was.”

“But I want you to be a real dad,” She says, sliding her hands up my chest. “You’ll be a better daddy than my daddy. My daddy did bad things.”

“Aer, you're drunk,” I reply. “You're just saying stuff you don't mean.”

She shakes her head. “He did things he never ever should do to me.”

My chest tightens- _what if she really is telling the truth?_

“Erin, what things?”

Her eyes droop shut. “Sleepy.”

“Erin?” I ask, watching as she lies down. “Erin, talk to me.”

She settles right beside me, head resting on my chest, her left arm draped over me.

“Erin, what did he do?”

I can feel she's asleep. I shake my head. Hopefully she won't remember any of this in the morning. I turn & kiss the top of her head.

****

I wake, feeling him tossing & turning behind me. He's usually so still when asleep, so I know there's something bothering him. I turn over, seeing him lying on his back. He’s frowning slightly.

“What's troubling you?”

“Every time I close my eyes, I see him yelling at me. Then the punches.”

“I'm so sorry, Ty.”

“I like having her back, y'know? I love her, but...” He sighs. “I _hate_ the memories that come with her.”

I shift closer, draping my arm over him in an attempt to hug him. He lays his arm over mine, hand cupping my elbow, almost gripping it as if it's a lifeline.

“I have the urge to just go,” he says. “To just pack what I can in a bag & go.”

“Why don't you?”

“Because I have you.”

I lift my head, turning to him.

“You're the one thing keeping me here right now,” He says, meeting my eyes. “Well... & making sure Erin's okay. But you're the only one keeping me grounded.”

I smile slightly, tears stinging my eyes. I reach up, pressing my lips to his. He wraps his arm tighter around me, pulling me against him & I moan. Without breaking our kiss, I straddle him, rocking my hips. He moans, breaking our kiss.

“Pipes,” He whispers.

“I want to wipe away that pain. Wipe the whole thing from your life,” I say. “But at the same time, I don't. Because I love the man that it helped make. And I wouldn't want to change a single thing about you.”

He smiles, tucking my hair behind my ear.

“And all I want to do is help you sleep,” I reply. “I know you sleep better after we... y'know.”

I sit up & he places his hands on my legs for added support. I rub my hips back & forth, smirking as he bites back a moan. I shift back, his hands slipping from me & pull back his boxers. I take his length in my hand, & slide my hand up & down. He’s watching me as I bend over… flick my tongue against the tip, smirking as he moans.

****

I grip the sheets, wishing I could tease her as she does me. I want to feel her squirm, to get her so aroused.

"Pipes," I say, huskily.

She ignores me, slipping my length into her mouth.

I pull her up a few minutes later, bringing her to kneel either side of my head. I hook my thumb under one side of her undies & pull it aside. With it still hooked on my thumb, I place both of my hands on her hips, & force her down, flicking her folds with my tongue.

“Oh god!” She exclaims, gripping the top of my bedhead.

I hold her in place, teasing her with my tongue, smirking as she squirms. I know the little signs just before her climax, & I still my tongue, holding it straight out.

“Tyler,” She whimpers, begging me to continue.

I grip her hips tightly & force her down hard, pushing my tongue as deep as I can into her. I wiggle it around. She gasps, her thighs trembling as as falls apart.

****

I stare down at him as I come down, gripping the bars of his bedhead. I can't see his mouth, but I can feel him smiling.

“You’re wicked, you know that,” I say.

He pushes my hips up. “You started it.”

“To help you.”

“And you have.”

I shift back down him & straddle him once more, pushing my undies to one side & rub my clit, a moan escaping my lips before I can stop it.

I hold his length, & guide myself down, biting back another moan. I move my hips in horizontal circles, both of us moaning.

He grabs my hips, pushing me up & down & I tilt my head back. It doesn't take long for me to fall apart, & I grip his legs.

He pulls me forward, hand cupping my cheek & he kisses me. He flips us & thrusts. I moan against his lips, wrapping my legs around his waist as I dig my fingers into his back.

****

I kiss down her neck, smirking as her moans get louder. I thrust just that little bit harder, & she gasps.

“Ty,” She whispers.

I push harder & she cries out, gripping my back as her whole body shakes. I groan as mine hits, burying my face into the base of her neck.

****

I slide my hand into his hair as I come down, his body pressed against mine. I kiss his shoulder. Once we’ve recovered, he rolls over, coming to rest beside me. He smiles & I reciprocate. I brush rogue strands of his hair back.

“Thank you,” he mumbles, eyes slowly closing.

I shift closer, resting my head on his chest & drape my hand over his chest. He shifts his head, burying his nose in my hair. I smile, before closing my eyes.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So things are still tense between Erin & her mum- following her drunk night out, will Erin finally reveal why she's so angry? And Tyler’s coping with the memories- but for how long? How will the feud between the Brennan women impact on the others? Plus, Elly & Ned have spent another night together- could this be the start of something more?


	79. Fractures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tension in the Brennan house is causing stress for everyone. While Mark's struggling to cope with being unable to help Erin, Jay reveals something that could get her to finally open up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is a short chapter. Mainly cause I wanted to try & wrap up the latest drama. But I've also delivered two quite lengthy ones lately, & I felt like this needed to be shorter. Besides, it packs a huge punch at the end.

I groan as I wake, his lips brushing the back of my bare shoulder.

“Morning, gorgeous.”

I groan, my head throbbing. His lips brush my cheek & I turn into it, lips captured quickly by his & I moan.

“How you feeling?” He asks.

“My head is _pounding_.”

“That's what you get for being drunk,” he replies, rubbing the small of my back.

“It's called having fun.”

“Mmmm oh yeah, I know,” he replies. “You were wanting to have fun when you got back.”

I open my eyes enough to see him. “What?”

He smiles. “You were horny last night.”

I groan & he laughs.

“You wanted to get it on in the middle of the night, to make a baby,” He says. “Apparently I'm not a 'real Daddy' yet.”

“What?! Yes you are!”

“Not what you said last night.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don't be. You were cute,” he replies. “Cute & brutally honest.”

I frown.

“Felicity isn't mine,” he says. “And as much as I love her like she is, she isn't.”

“Biologically, she isn't,” I reply. “But you’ve been a better father to her in such a short time than her biological father has ever been.”

“I’m just a step-dad at best.”

I place my hand on his cheek. “She calls you daddy,” I reply. “I don't care if you biologically are. You're her dad.”

He places his hand on top of mine, rubbing his thumb back & forth against my skin. I can tell something else is bothering him.

“What else is on your mind?” I ask.

“Do you remember anything of what happened last night?” He asks. “About things you said to me?”

I think it over. I remember encouraging Elly to do something, before coming inside before collapsing in bed. But not the details.

“No,” I reply. I frown. “Should I?”

He shakes his head. “You were probably just saying stuff that isn't true.”

I frown. “Like what?”

“It doesn't matter.”

“Hey,” I say, sitting up. “If I said anything to hurt you…”

He smiles. “You didn't,” He replies. “I mean… the ‘real daddy’ comment was close, but… I knew not to take it too personally.”

“But there's something more.”

“It's nothing. You were just saying things that didn't make sense.”

“Like what?”

“Doesn't matter.”

“It does if you're worried about it.”

He sighs. I shift closer.

“Yes, it worries me,” He says. “But I know that, whatever you meant by it… I know you’re not ready to tell me. It was a small slip up when you were drunk, & you don't remember it so I’m just going to ignore it.”

I sigh. “Okay. But if it gets too much for you to ignore…”

He nods. “I promise I’ll talk to you about it.”

I press my lips against his. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me into him & I moan. He slides his hand down, slipping it between us & rubs his fingers through my folds. I break our kiss, tilting my head back & he kisses my neck.

He flips us & kisses down my chest, teasing my breasts with his mouth as he keeps rubbing my sex. He kisses down my stomach, disappearing under the sheets with every kiss. I gasp, arching my back as his lips cradle my clit.

****

I smile at Jay as he places a glass of water & two panadol tablets on the bench in front of me. I wash the tablets down with the water as he sits down on the stool to my left. Felicity's playing on the floor.

The front door opens, my brothers, Paige & the twins come in. I frown.

“Where have you all been?” I ask.

My brothers exchange looks- awkward. And I know exactly what.

“Mum,” I say.

Aaron nods. “We didn't think you’d want to come.”

“Nope.”

“Well, you don't have to worry about her anymore,” Mark says, crossing into the kitchen. “She’s heading back to Adelaide.”

I stare at him, surprised. “What?”

“She called me this morning, to tell me she was heading home,” He replies. “She was calling to say bye, but I talked her into seeing all of us.”

“She was hoping you had a change of heart & would come,” Aaron says. “She really wants to mend things with you. Her decision to head home is because of you.”

“If she wanted to mend things, she should have done it sooner.”

“So why don't you tell us what's going on?” Mark asks.

“I want to Mark, I really do. I want to go back to the way we were. The way I used to sit with you & pour my heart out. Tell you _everything_ ,” I reply. “But there's the psychological scars that threaten to reopen & I am scared to risk that. I feel so damn trapped. I want to tell you what happened, but it's far more complicated than you all seem to think.”

Tears sting his eyes. I bite my lip, fighting my own tears. I get to my feet, & head for the backyard. Mark reaches out to me but I dodge his hand.

****

“Mark,” I say, as they all sit in the lounge. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

He nods. “Sure, Jay.”

He gets up & we cross to the kitchen.

“Erin… said something last night,” I say. “She was very drunk, so… I don't know if I can believe it or not. And I know how close you two are. So maybe you can make sense of it. But I think it may explain her feelings towards your mum.”

“What did she say?”

“She said I’ll be a better dad than hers,” I reply. “That her dad did ‘bad things’.”

He frowns. “The only bad thing I can think of that he did was hitting Tyler.”

I shake my head. “I don't think she was talking about that.”

His frown deepens.

“This is the bit I’m unsure of how true it is.”

“Mmmmm.”

“She said he did things to her,” I say. “Things he… ‘never ever should do’.”

Mark tenses, his shocked look tells me he had no idea about this.

“She said that?” He asks. “Exactly those words? Are you sure you didn't misinterpret her?”

I shake my head. “When she first brought up her dad, I didn't think much of it,” I reply. “But then she made that comment, &…” I sigh. “I don't know what to think. Do I believe it? When I asked her what she meant, she didn't reply. She fell asleep.”

“Have you talked to her this morning about it?”

I nod. “She doesn't remember our conversation,” I reply. “Any of it.”

He nods before sighing. “So she was being honest earlier, when she she said she was scared to open up.”

I nod. “Sounds like it,” I reply. “Whatever happened… it's got her frightened to let anyone in on it.”

“I hate it,” He replies. “I hate seeing her like this. She used to be so open. And then… I left to become a police officer, &… she became more shut off. Something happened, I can feel it. Something changed her. I just can't figure out _what_. I’m torn between pushing those walls down  & respecting her need to have space.” He runs his hand over his face. “I don't know what to do.”

“I know that feeling,” I reply. “Being cut off from her when you want to be there for her.”

He nods. “I just wish she would let someone in,” He replies. “It doesn't have to be me. I just… I hate watching her self destruct while I’m forced to watch on.”

****

I swing my legs back & forth, staring as the water ripples. I’ve been hiding out here, sitting at the far end of the pool, ever since I left them in tears. I wish it was simple. I wish I could tell them everything. But the memories, the nightmares… they keep me trapped.

“Hey,” Mark says, & I look up to see him walking over.

“Hey,” I reply.

He’s changed into his board shorts, his feet bare, & he sits down next to my left side, his legs in the pool like mine.

“I fully understand why you can't tell us what's going on,” he says.

“There's a ‘but’ coming.”

“You don't have to give details.”

I look at him, tears in my eyes. “I can't give you even just an oversight,” I reply. “It's far too complicated.”

He puts his arm around me, & I rest my head on his shoulder. We sit there in silence.

“Did Dad… ever hit you?”

I tense. “What?”

“Did he ever get angry & hurt you?”

I sit up & frown at him. “Where did that come from?”

He swallows. “Jay talked to me,” He says. “Was just seeking my opinion on something you said to him last night.”

It all comes crashing back- _everything_ I said to Jay when I got home.

“We’re worried about you, Aer.”

“I was completely… I was _really_ drunk last night,” I reply. “I said some pretty stupid things. Did he tell you I said he wasn't a ‘real daddy’?”

“No.”

“Well, I did. I made him feel like crap, & then I said some stuff that was probably random.”

“So I shouldn't be worried about the fact you implied Dad did something bad to you?”

I freeze. _Admit it, Erin. Admit that you gave them the chance to know the truth while you were drunk._

“Aer?” He asks, worried.

I stare at the water, fighting hard not to cry.

“Whatever happened, Aer, it’s not your fault,” He says. “If he did something to you, I’m not going to be angry at you. I’m not going to hate you. I just want to know what's going on. I can't help you if you keep this to yourself.”

“Or maybe you're just trying to control my life,” I snap.

“Erin, that's not true.”

“Feels a lot like it,” I say, getting to my feet.

“Aer!”

I walk off, barely keeping the tears at bay as I unlock the pool fence. I hurry inside, ignoring the others as I slip through to the bedrooms. I step into mine & shut the door. I rest my head on the door, hitting it with the side of my fists as I break down. I turn around, pressing my back against it & slide down to sit on the floor as the tears fall. I bring my legs up to my chest, cross my arms over them & bury my head. _I just want this all to end!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Erin’s spiralling once more. Will her latest outburst finally get her to open up?


	80. Lifeline

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Mark reflects on how things were between him & Erin when they were younger, Paige has a plan- but will he agree to it? Meanwhile, Tyler turns to Piper. Erin puts on a brave face in front of Mark- her original lifeline- but falls apart in front of her new lifeline.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Paige and Mark stuff was something I was meant to do several chapters ago, but had a lack of inspiration. And then Mumma Brennan hit & I ran with that. So I'm pulling this back in now. Plus it's good to have an uplifting chapter to balance out all the heartbreak surrounding Erin.

I knock on her door, wanting to apologise. But she doesn't answer. So I knock again. When she still doesn't answer, I slowly open the door. She's lying on her side on her bed, back to the door, her breathing slow- she's asleep.

I cross to her & sit down on her bed. When she was a teen & I was back home from training to be an officer, she would often want to just sleep all day. I used to come in, to check up on her, & she would burst into tears. She wouldn't ever let me leave her, always asking me to stay. So we would lie there, her in my arms & I would just hold her, sometimes stroking her hair, while she sobbed. I would stay there until her body stopped shaking, until she slept. And even when I was ready to leave her be, I would still stay. Because staying meant whatever was upsetting her would be kept at bay. A part of me knew I was her lifeline.

****

**10 Years Ago**

“Hey,” I say, pushing her door open.

She's sitting in her bed. She looks at me & smiles… but bursts into tears & my chest tightens. I hate seeing her upset. I cross to her, sitting down on the edge of her bed & she throws her arms around me. She cries into my shirt as I wrap my arms around her, my right hand cupping the back of her head.

“Hey, it's okay,” I whisper into her hair.

“I don't want you to go.”

“I’m here for a few days.”

She shakes her head. “I want you to _stay_.”

“I can't, Aer,” I reply. “I’m studying.”

She sits up, pouting. I cup her cheeks, wiping her tears away with my thumbs.

“What's going on?” I ask. “Mum says you spend so much time in here. That you’re refusing to spend time with Dad, unless Az & Ty are there.”

“I don't like it,” She replies. “I want to be left alone.” She places her hands on my arms. “I want you back, Mark.”

It breaks my heart. “You know I can't be here all the time.”

“So take me with you.”

“Aer,” I sigh.

“We’ll find somewhere to live &\- & I’ll go to school & study hard.”

“Why? What's so bad about being here?”

“It's not the same when you're gone,” She replies, before bursting into tears.

I pull her in again, holding her tight as she cries. She grips onto me, as if she's holding on to life. Eventually her tears stop. I try to leave but she begs me to stay, so I do- sitting with her the way I did when she was younger, her head resting on the side of my chest as I drape my arm around her. We talked about our lives- how she was going with school & how I was going in my police training.

“You know I pepper sprayed myself,” I tell her.

“You what?!” She replies, sitting up slightly to look at me. “Seriously?”

I nod. “Accidentally,” I reply. “Took a few hours for my eyes to get better.”

“Mmmm I bet,” She replies, putting her head down again.

“Oh, how sympathetic of you!”

She giggles, before wiping away tears. “I wish you were living here.”

“Me too,” I reply, stroking her hair. “But the training offices are in Adelaide. It's just not right to live here.”

She sits up & looks at me. “Would you come back once you graduate?”

“Depends on where I get assigned,” I reply. “I’ll be able to request the area, but… I’m not guaranteed to get it. They put us where we’re needed.”

Tears fill her eyes. “I just want you back here.”

I frown. “Are you sure that's all?”

She nods. “I miss you,” She replies. “I miss you a lot.”

I smile. “I miss you too,” I reply. “I miss all of you. But I miss you the most.”

“You need to come back more often.”

I nod. “I’ll do my best.”

She looks so tired.

“Why don't you have a nap?” I ask. “You look tired.”

She nods. I kiss her forehead. She lies down & I get up to leave. I take a step away from her, stopping when she grabs my hand. I turn back to her.

“I know this sounds really weird, but…” She says, before sighing. “Would you… would you stay with me?”

“What's going on, Aer?”

“I just… I don't want to be alone,” She replies. “I don't want the nightmares…” She drifts off, overwhelmed with tears.

“Okay, hey, shhh, it's okay,” I reply, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

She covers her face with her hands. I lie down facing her, slipping my left arm under her neck & my right over her & pull her closer. She rests her head against my chest & holds onto the front of my shirt, grabbing fistfuls of it. I kiss the top of her head, running my fingers over her hair soothingly.

****

**Present**

I brush the strands of her hair off her face, noticing the tear stains as I tuck her hair behind her ear. _Some things never change_.

I wish she would open up to me. I wish I knew what was tormenting her. I lie down behind her, draping my arm over her the way I did when she was a teen. She doesn't stir, but I know she’ll feel my presence. Her hands are laid out in front of her face, a tissue scrunched in her right hand. I move my hand from her stomach to her left hand, entwining my fingers with hers, palm pressing against hers.

****

“What are you doing?” He asks, making me jump & my iPad topples into my lap.

I look up at him- he's standing behind the couch, hands bracing the back as he stares down at me.

“How’s Erin?”

“Asleep,” He replies. “Now why were you looking at a place in Beechworth?”

I press my lips together in a thin line.

“Paige,” He says, stern enough to be a warning.

“I was thinking you & our bubs could go away for a week.”

“ _What_?”

“Things have been pretty crazy & I think it would do us a load of good if we get away for a little while.”

He shakes his head, letting go of the couch & heads towards the kitchen. I quickly get to my feet & follow him.

“Mark.”

He turns around to me. “My baby sister is spiralling once again, & you want us to go away for a week?” He asks. “I _can't_ do that! I can't abandon her when she needs me this much. She’s barely keeping things together as is,  & keeps putting on a brave face, but I see the terror in her eyes. I see it all- _everything_ she’s battling inside. I'm _not_ going to betray her like our parents.”

“You won't be,” Erin says.

She's standing in the doorway through to the bedrooms.

“Erin,” Mark says, surprised.

“I’ve been fighting this demon for years,” She replies. “I have good days… & I have bad days. Mum being here made it a bad few days. But she's back in Adelaide, &… I’ll be alright.” She crosses to us as she continues. “You're not abandoning me, Mark. You're just going away for a much needed break. I appreciate your help, I really do. But you need to do this. You need to go away. I’m going to be fine. I have Tyler, Aaron & Jay.”

He shakes his head. “I can't.”

“Well, too bad,” She replies. “You're going. Even if I have to push you out the door. Cause you know I can & I so totally will.”

“I’d like to see that,” I reply.

“But what if-”

“If things get too much, I’ll call you,” Erin replies, cutting him off. “Or one of the others will.”

He sighs.

“I should also apologise,” She says. “For snapping at you earlier. For saying you're trying to control my life. I know that you're not. You never have. In fact, you're the one who keeps me going. You’ve always been my rock, when it's all been so heavy.”

He pulls her in, wrapping her in a tight hug.

“Woah, bro! Ease up!”

He doesn't, opting to kiss the top of her head. “I love you.”

“I know.”

****

**The next morning…**

“Please stop that look,” I say to Mark.

“What look?”

“That one!” I reply, pointing to his face. “That sad look. It's an attempt to make me feel guilty about kicking you out.”

“I don't like this idea,” He replies, as I help load the car. “I hate leaving you.”

“Didn't stop you all those times when I was a teen.”

He sighs. “You know I was training.”

“So what's stopping you now?” I ask. “I thought you’d be keen to take your gorgeous wife & your two kids away for a week.”

“Not when it means leaving you,” He replies. “Not when you're as fragile as this.”

I place my hands on his arms. “I’m fine, Mark,” I reply. “I love that you're being this protective, but… I’m okay. And I’m going to be okay for a week.”

He looks at me, still worried. So I wrap my arms around his body, resting my head on his chest. He wraps his arms around me.

“Ready to go?” Paige asks, crossing to us with the twins & Jay.

“No,” Mark replies.

“Mark,” I say, drawing his focus back to me. “Go.”

“But-”

“Mark, I’m a big girl.”

He tilts his head. “You're my baby sister.”

“Who is a grown woman with a daughter,” I reply. “I’m going to be fine.”

“She's got me,” Jay adds, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

I nod. “I have Jay.”

Mark shakes his head.

“Hey,” I say, stepping closer. I cup his cheeks. “Go have a good time in Beechworth. I wanna hear all about it when you get back.”

“Come with us,” He replies. “You, Felicity, Jay… Aaron & Tyler too.”

I smile. “Nice try,” I reply. “But there's four people going. You, Paige & those two little ones.”

He sighs, hanging his head. I roll onto my tiptoes & kiss his forehead.

****

Mark & I arrive at our Beechworth accommodation, & I settle our twins inside as Mark gets our bags out of the car. I quietly shut the door to the secondary bedroom, where our twins are asleep, & turn around to see Mark placing the last of our bags down.

“Hey,” I say, crossing to him.

“Hey,” He replies, smiling. “They asleep?”

I nod as I step into his arms & wrap my arms around his neck. He's smiling, but I can see the worry within.

“You're thinking about her.”

****

_“You're thinking about her.”_

“No I’m not.”

“I know you're worried about her, but she's with Jay & your brothers,” She says, sliding her hands down onto my chest. “She's going to be okay. So just relax.”

“Whenever she shuts me out like this, it just sets off _every_ warning in me,” I reply. “So, no, I'm not going to relax.”

“Mark. We are alone. And I love you for being this protective of your family, but... you need to let it go.”

I shake my head. “I can't.”

“Well,” She replies, hands sliding down my chest. “Good thing I have a way to make you forget it for a while...”

She undoes my belt & jeans, & then slips her fingers into the top. She slowly crouches as she pulls my jeans & boxers down. She wraps her hand around my length, giving it a few gentle tugs. Her head tilts back as she opens her mouth, her eyes locked with mine as her tongue flicks the tip. I groan, hips jerking forward & she smirks.

I slide my hands into her hair as she slides me in & out of her mouth, her hand pumping the rest of my length. But the need to taste her gets too much. I pull her up, turning her & back her against the wall. I slide the straps of her dress off her shoulders, tugging the material at her waist until it falls, pooling at her feet.

****

He groans as he stares at the blue high apex plunge floral laced bra & matching thong I’m wearing & I smirk. I pull his shirt up & he helps pull it off. I toss it aside as he kisses my cleavage. His hand slips between my thighs, fingers grazing over my thong & I moan, arching my back as I tilt my head back & close my eyes.

His lips leave my breasts & I gasp as they brush my thong. I part my legs, giving him better access as he kisses the material, his tongue darting out every so often to tease me.

“Mark,” I whimper.

“Mmm?” He hums against my thong.

“You know what.”

“Do I?” He asks, before dragging his tongue up the material.

I let out a long whimper as heat floods my core. But I want him inside. I reach down, slipping my hand into my thong & rub myself. He growls & I smirk- he hates it when I jump ahead. He hooks his fingers inside the top of my thong & slides it down to my feet & I step out. He reaches up, splays his right hand on my stomach, pushing my hand aside & rubs my clit with his thumb. My legs shake from the pleasure. He lifts my left leg, hooking it over his shoulder before lightly brushing his lips over my folds.

He stares up at me for a minute, lips agonisingly close to my folds, before quickly leaning forward, his tongue pushing inside & I moan, digging my fingers into his hair. He pushes three fingers inside & I push my hips down, grinding against his hand. He pumps quickly & I squirm. He rolls the tip of his tongue around my clit as he pumps his fingers & I dig my nails into his scalp, feeling the precipice fast approaching.

****

She lets out a strangled ‘fuck’ as she reaches her high, her body shaking as she comes down. I lean back & look up at her as I slow my thrusts. I smirk, watching her as she tilts her head to one side, her chest rising & falling quickly as she struggles to regain her breathing.

I stand, my fingers slipping deeper into her & she moans. She lifts her head & looks at me through half closed eyes.

“You're so beautiful,” I whisper.

She barely manages a smile. I pull out of her & she moans. I bring my fingers up to her lips & she moans as she licks them clean.

****

Tasting me on his fingers makes heat pool in my core once more. I wrap my hand around his length, smirking when he groans as I gently tug it. I pull it closer, rubbing its head through my folds & we both moan.

His hands slide down to my butt, & he digs his fingers into my butt cheeks as he captures my lips. He slides his hands to my thighs, lifting me up & presses me harder against the wall. He pushes inside, & I gasp into his mouth. I push my hips down as his push up, sinking all the way down his length. He stops, pinning me to the wall & I slide my hand into his hair, the other wrapped around his neck as we kiss.

He pulls his hips back, slipping almost all the way out before thrusting in hard once, making me cry out & break the kiss. He lifts his right hand up, grabbing my jaw roughly but also gently. We stare at each other for a moment, before he captures my lips once again.

I moan into his mouth as he slowly thrusts, & I move my hips in time with his.

“Faster,” I whisper.

He complies, his hands coming to my hips & grips them, forcing my hips down every time he thrusts in. I tilt my head back & he kisses down my neck, his pace never faltering.

****

She says my name in a strangled cry as she falls apart, her fingers digging into my back, her head coming to rest on my shoulder as I continue to thrust. I push her shaking body harder against the wall, reach down & flick her clit with my thumb.

“Fuck,” she moans, her hips jerking.

She falls apart again & I groan as I fall too. I nip the base of her neck.

****

He holds me close, stepping back & turning to cross to our bed. He lowers me onto it, hovering above me. I moan as he slips out of me, dropping to the bed. He drapes his arm over me, chin resting on my shoulder. I turn to him, trying to regain control over my breathing & smile. I kiss his nose.

****

I head to the garage after school. I walk in, seeing him standing at his desk with his back to the door, shoulders high as he grips the desk. I cross to him, wrap my arms around his waist as I press myself against his back & rest my head on his overalls. He tenses at first, but relaxes once he recognises it's me.

He twists & I lift my head so he can turn around, his lips instantly capturing mine. He pulls me closer, moaning into my mouth as my body presses against his bulge. His hands slide down my back, down my thighs & push my skirt up.

“Woah, easy tiger!” I say, breaking our kiss. “Anyone could walk in & how’s it going to look you doing that when I’m in my uniform?”

“Good point,” He says, dropping his hands. “But easily fixed.”

He steps round me, & heads to the far end of the garage as I frown. He bolts that door before making his way to the roller door. He shuts & locks it, before returning to me. He smirks as he approaches, cupping my face in his hands as he bends down to kiss me.

****

I wrap my arms around her waist as hers wrap around my neck, & lift her just high enough for her feet to leave the ground. I turn left, walking over to the wall, knowing the exact spot where no one will be able to see us- right beside the front set of shelving. I lower her until she's standing once more. I push her against the wall, smirking as she moans. I slide my hand down, push her skirt up as I slide my hand up her leg & ghost my fingers over the material of her undies, groaning as I feel she's already wet.

I rub her through her undies, smirking as her hips rub against my hand. I push my palm against her clit & she moans. I undo her skirt with my free hand, letting it pool around her feet & break our kiss. I push her undies aside, & slip one then two fingers inside her, watching as she tilts her head back, her hips pushing forward. I pump slowly, unbuttoning her shirt with my free hand. Once it's undone, I slip my hand under one side to cup her right bra cladded breast. I squeeze her breast, digging the heel of my hand into it as I release, pushing her breast hard against her chest.

“Oh _god_!” She moans, her body squirming.

Her arms drape over my shoulders, nails digging in for support as I work her towards her high. I pump faster, watching as she pulls her bottom lip in & bites it hard, trying to keep quiet.

“Don't hold it in,” I whisper into her ear. “Make as much noise as you want.”

She shakes her head. “Someone will hear.”

I thrust my fingers in hard & she cries out, her walls squeezing around my fingers as she explodes. She collapses against me & I kiss her cheek as I slow my hand.

****

I lean back, resting against the wall as I suck in deep breaths. He smirks, pulling his fingers out & I bite back a moan. He licks his fingers clean & then captures my lips. I moan, tasting myself, slipping my hands into his hair to trap his lips to mine, eagerly kissing him.

I undress him, needing to feel him inside me so bad. He lifts me up as his three layers of pants drop to pool around his feet. He pushes me against the wall, both of us moaning when his length rubs my folds.

He tugs my shirt off, letting it drop to the floor as his hands reach behind me. He unhooks my bra & pulls that off, dropping it to the floor as his other hand pushes my left breast up, his head lowering to pull my nipple into his mouth. I arch my back, giving him better access as he teases my nipple with his tongue, his other hand squeezing my other breast.

“Ty,” I whimper as he swaps breasts.

He ignores me, playing with my nipple. I grind my hips against his hard, pushing my sex against his length & he squeezes my breast hard. He then thrusts into me & I can't contain my scream. I sink down, taking him all the way in & I still. He lifts his head, arms wrapping round the small of my back & stares into my eyes. He kisses me, his hips rocking back then forward.

He’s slow at first, each thrust sending more heat to my core. He thrusts harder, slowly building a pace with every thrust & kisses a trail down my neck. I moan, tilting my head to give him better access. He nips & kisses my skin & I dig my nails into the skin on the back of his neck.

I pull on his bun, pulling his lips from my neck & turn my head, capturing his lips. His fingers dig into my hips, pushing himself in deeper & I moan loudly.

He pulls back, slipping out of me & I whimper as I sink to my feet. He spins me around quickly, & adjusts me so I'm bending over. He rubs his fingers through my folds, pushing his length inside when I'm distracted. Heat pools in more core & I tilt my head back, his lips brushing my cheek as he thrusts...

****

I wrap my arms around her as I thrust, crossing them over before sliding my hands up & push her breasts up. I flick her nipples & she moans, her hips jerking back. I play with her breasts as I thrust, smirking against her shoulder as I see her fingers curling as she tries to grip the wall.

“Rub my clit,” She whispers.

“What?”

“You heard me,” She says, before moaning. “Slide your hand down & rub my clit.”

I graze the back of her shoulder with my teeth. “As you wish,” I whisper.

I slide my right hand down her front, turning it as I pass over her stomach so my fingers are first. I splay my fingers as I slide them between her legs, bringing her sex between two of my fingers.

“ _Tyyyyyy_ ,” She whines.

I swipe my middle finger over her clit & she moans, hips jolting back. I push my hips forward, thrusting deeper as I rub her clit fast with two fingers. She lets out a long whimper & I feel her legs shaking. I lean forward, bringing my lips to her ear.

“Relax into my hands,” I whisper. “Relax & let it out.”

She shakes her head, gripping the wall harder. I thrust as hard as I can just once as I press my finger onto her clit. She screams loud & long, her walls clenching me so much we fall apart at the same time.

Her legs buckle, giving way & she collapses into my hands. I pull her up, pressing her back against my chest & wrap my left arm around her, gripping her right hip to help her stay up.

“Ty,” She whimpers, & I realise I’m rubbing her clit still.

I stop rubbing her, pressing a series of kisses to her shoulder.

“You're so beautiful,” I whisper, lips brushing her shoulder. “All the time, but nothing compares to how beautiful you are as you fall apart.”

She tilts her head back, resting it on my shoulder & I watch her chest rise & fall.

****

I slowly walk around the open plan living area, rocking Lilly. I woke to her crying, surprised to see she hadn't woken Scott. So I scooped her up & brought her out here.

“You’ve definitely inherited your mother’s lungs,” I say softly to her.

“And your father’s stubbornness,” Paige replies.

I smile as I stop & turn, watching as Paige smiles in return as she makes her way over to us. She's wearing a little black number- a satin cami top with a lace neckline & little satin black shorts. She rests her hands on my shoulder, reaching up on tip toes to kiss me. I carefully cradle Lilly in my left arm, sliding my right around my beautiful wife.

“You look sexy,” I say, huskily.

She smiles. “And you're very handsome,” She replies. “I love seeing you holding our babies.”

I smile, turning to look down at Lilly, who has finally fallen asleep. “I look at her or Scott sometimes, & I can't believe that we have them.”

“Mmmhmm,” She says, resting her head on my shoulder. “Our little miracles.”

“Mmmhmm,” I reply.

Paige lowers one hand & brushes the back of her fingers lightly over Lilly’s cheek. I turn & press my lips to Paige’s forehead, pulling her tighter in to me.

We stay like that for several minutes, until Scott cries. I relinquish my hold on Paige's hip, allowing her to step away. I bite back a moan as I watch her, her shorts are tight & I wish I could kneel between her legs & tease her to her high.

Paige disappears into the twins’ bedroom & I turn my focus back to Lilly. She & Scott haven't been in our lives very long, but I already can't wait to have more children.

****

I wake, shaken by her tossing. I open my eyes, the room softly lit in the early morning light. But my focus is on Erin. She's on her back, an unusual sleeping position for her, moving her arms & legs as if she's fighting someone. _And_ she's talking- saying things like ‘no!’  & ‘get off!’.

“Aer?” I say, worriedly as I sit up.

I place my hand on her shoulder & gently squeeze it, trying to wake her. But… nothing. She's still struggling & it's distressing. _What nightmare are you having?_

****

My eyes snap open, I can't breathe & I can feel someone on top of me. Immediately feeling like all those years ago, yet with the ability to defend myself, I swing my fists, hitting his arms, using all my strength to get him off. But he takes hold of my wrists so I close my eyes & thrash about, twisting my body & kicking my legs.

“Erin!” He exclaims.

I stop, my breath catching in my throat. His thumbs rub my wrists & I know. That familiar touch, that comforting touch. Grounding me. Pulling me back into the here & now. The terror fades, relief washing over me as one word fills my mind. _Jay_. I open my eyes  & look at him. He’s staring down at me, so worried. I burst into tears.

“Hey, shhh,” He says. “Come here.”

He lets go of my hands & I let them fall onto my stomach. He takes hold of my shoulders & pulls me up. I collapse against his chest, banding my arms around him as he holds me tight. _It was all a nightmare._ His hand slips into my hair  & he buries his face into my hair on the top of my head. I listen to his heartbeat, using it & his warmth, the safety his arms around me brings, to calm me.

“What's going on?” He asks.

I shake my head, before turning into his chest.

“Aer,” He sighs.

I push him away, twisting to turn around & drop, burying my face into my pillow. I just can't bring myself to put it in words. Just thinking about it makes me feel so suffocated.

I feel the bed shift as he lies down, his left hand coming to rub my back. I suck in a deep breath, fighting to stop the tears. I turn to look at him, seeing the worry & concern on his face. And I want is for him to hold me.

I turn onto my side, facing him, & shift closer, bringing my left arm up to my chest as I slide my right over him. He wraps his arms around me, kissing the top of my head before resting his chin on my head. He keeps rubbing my back as I cry, my whole body shaking.

I close my eyes, slowly relaxing. Jay’s my lifeline. The only one not caught up in all of the nightmare. The one I need the most to get through this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Ned & Elly's attraction heats up, and Erin's worst fears lead to a surprising revelation. Will it be a happy ending for them all?
> 
> For reference, here's the inspiration behind Paige's underwear:  
> •Blue lace: http://www.gossard.com/products/Bras/Plunge/Gypsy-High-Apex-Plunge/Mykonos-Blue  
> •Black lace & satin cami top (& satin shorts): http://www.gossard.com/products/Exclusives/Nightwear/Gossard-Satin-and-Lace-Cami-Top/Black


	81. My Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned & Elly's attraction heats up- how long before they decide to date? Meanwhile, Erin has more insecurities following the drama with her mother- which leads to a spur-of-the-moment decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second chapter in the one day! Only cause I held off posting Chapter 80 & accidentally ended up writing this chapter in full...

“Ned,” Susan says, surprised & I almost choke on my tea.

“Is Elly in?” I hear him ask as I set my mug down on the counter.

“Of course, come in,” Susan replies.

Ned steps into my view, smiling at her as he steps past. Susan shuts the front door.

“I'll leave you two to it,” Susan says, before disappearing into her room.

I stare at him, embarrassed that I'm still in my pjs & my hair's a mess. He drags his eyes over me & smirks.

“That's a sexy look.”

“No it's not.”

He crosses to me, cupping my face. “It is,” he replies, before leaning in & brushes his lips against mine... & then eagerly captures them.

I push him back. “Susan could catch us.”

“I don't care,” he says, smiling as he leans in to kiss me again.

He turns us, pushing me back against the bench & I moan, feeling his hardening length through his jeans.

“Stop,” I whisper.

“Fine,” He says, stepping back.

He slips his hand into mine & leads me across the room towards the doorway through to my bedroom.

“We can't,” I say, pulling on his arm to make him stop.

“Why not?”

“Uh... for starters, Susan's here.”

“So? We'll be quiet.”

“And Ben & Angus.”

He frowns. “Who's Angus?”

“He's... the son of a friend of Susan & Karl,” I reply. “He's staying with us for a while, because his parents are overseas & can't themselves.”

He sighs, resting his head against mine.

“Get changed & then come to mine,” He says after a minute. “It's empty & we can be as loud as we want.”

“I’ll see.”

He groans, gripping my hips, his thumbs grazing my bare skin.

“Please come.”

“Maybe.”

“You're a tease, you know that?”

I pull back. “Be mean,” I reply, stepping past him. I turn around to face him in the doorway. “Keep them keen.”

I turn & head off to my bedroom, smirking as I hear his groan.

****

I stand in my bedroom, trying to decide whether or not to take him up on his offer. I never expected to see him again after our night at the club. Now he's living a few doors down & we’ve already slept together again. _Does that mean we’re dating? Or is it just sex?_

I imagine his lips on mine, his arms banding around me. I moan, thinking about being pressed against the wall, his hands exploring me as he thrusts… heat pools in my core, & I know what I need to do.

****

I pull on my board shorts, giving up on her coming over & grab my towel, draping it over my right shoulder as I head out of my bedroom. I enter the living room but there's a knock at the front door. I stop & sigh. I turn, dumping my towel on the back of the couch & head to the front door. I pull it open, surprised to see her standing there.

She looks gorgeous- hair straight & down, very little make up, a figure hugging shirt & denim shorts. And I need her.

****

He pulls me inside, quickly shutting the door before pinning me to it, hands gripping my waist as he captures my lips. He slides his hand under my shirt & pushes my breast with the heel of his hand, & I moan into his mouth as I wrap my arms around his neck.

He pulls my shirt up, breaking our kiss to pull it over my head. My hands get tangled in it & he leaves my hands above my head, kissing my cleavage as he drags his hands down my sides.

He unhooks my strapless bra & tosses it aside. He pushes my left breast up, sucking my nipple & I arch my back. He squeezes my right breast as he teases my left nipple, his tongue flicking back & forth horizontally. Once its hard, he swaps, teasing my other nipple. His hands slide down my sides, fingers making quick work of the buttons on my shorts. He pushes his hand inside, cupping my sex. He rubs my undies & my hips push forward.

He pushes my shorts down, letting them pool around my ankles. He licks my undies & my hips move. He smirks before pushing his tongue harder against the material. I moan, twisting my arms to try to free them from my shirt.

Just as I’m building to my high, he stands & I whimper. He pushes my undies to one side, & slides a finger through my folds. He then pushes two inside me & I push my hips down. He smirks, lips almost on mine.

“Someone's keen,” he whispers.

I rock my hips, biting back a moan. He slowly pumps his fingers, pushing the heel of his hand against my clit & my legs shake. He hooks his free arm around my waist, gripping my hip to provide support. He pulls my nipple into his mouth.

“Oh, _fuck_!” I moan, arching my back.

It doesn't take much more for me to reach the precipice, his lips coming to mine as I come down.

****

I slip my fingers out of her, holding them out to her & moan as she licks them clean. All I want to do is lift her up & make love to her against the wall. But I love the sight of her lying naked in my bed.

I lower her arms, bringing them in front of her. Her shirt is still tangled around her wrists, acting like binds & I love it. I turn her, pressing her back against my chest & hook my left arm around her waist to keep her there. I kiss her shoulder & walk her down towards my bedroom, my right hand slipping between her legs as we walk, rubbing her sex.

****

He guides me over to beside his bed, & pushes my undies down. I kneel on his bed, getting onto my hands & knees. I crawl forward but his hands grab my hips, pulling me back. I moan as he rubs my bare sex against his bulge, still in his shorts. And then he's down on his knees, pushing my legs apart & pushes my butt cheeks apart, his tongue sliding through my folds. I push my hips back, forcing his tongue into me & he uses his tongue & lips to pull another climax from me. I drop my head, slipping onto my forearms as I come down.

****

I get to my feet, letting go of her while she's still coming down & push my shorts down. I step out of them, kicking them aside. I take hold of my length & rub the head against her folds. She moans, her body rocking back & forth.

I push inside, grabbing her hips & pull them towards me, making her take me in to my hilt. She squirms as she moans & I tighten my grip on her hips, commanding her to still & she complies.

“Tell me what you want,” I say.

“For you to move,” She replies, pushing her hips towards me but I force her back.

****

He pushes back, sliding almost all the way out, before thrusting forward hard. I moan. He thrusts, forcing my hips back as he thrusts forward.

“Faster,” I moan.

He complies, moving fast & hard. My whole body feels like its on fire, heat pooling in my core, getting stronger & stronger with every thrust.

****

She cries out as she falls apart, her body shaking. I pull out of her & push her sideways. She squeals as she falls, rolling onto her back. She looks so beautiful, lying there with her legs apart & hands still trapped in her shirt, her arms above her head. I kneel between her legs & hover above her, using my hands to keep me above her.

I lean down, capturing her lips with mine, distracting her as I push inside her again, smirking as she gasps. I rock my hips, slowly thrusting & she wraps her legs around my waist.

“Help me free my hands,” She says.

“Why?” I ask, kissing down her chest.

“Because I want to leave scratches along your back.”

I look at her & smirk. “I think it's hot having your hands out of play.”

“Well I don't,” She replies, bringing her arms down.

I quickly raise my hand, blocking her. I push her hands back, forcing her arms back above her head as I thrust. I keep my hand on top of her hands, pressing my chest against hers as I thrust harder.

“Oh god!” She moans, her back arching slightly.

****

I see stars as I fall apart once more, his thrusts continuing as he pushes for his. I push my hips up & he moans as he slips deeper. He thrusts harder, rougher & I bite back my moan, twisting my hips as I fight the pleasure.

He wraps his arm under me & flips up, making me straddle him. His hands dig into my hips, forcing me down hard as he thrusts up. I work on freeing my hands, biting back a moan when he thrusts up hard in an attempt to stop me.

I get my hands free & cover his face with my shirt. I push my hips down, my hands on his chest for extra support as I hold my hips against his as I grind. He groans, pulling my shirt off his face & tosses it aside. He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me down & captures my lips as he kneads my hips back. He groans into my mouth as he falls apart.

****

I roll over as I stir, but he’s not there. I open my eyes & my room comes into focus. I get up & pull on my undies, a pair of his shorts & one of his tees. I walk out into the kitchen, finding Tyler there.

“Well, hey there sleepyhead,” He says. “You missed the whole morning.”

“Where's Jay?”

“He took Felicity out,” He replies. “She was getting fussy & Az & I couldn't get her to stop. Jay really didn't want to leave you, but she wouldn't settle down unless it was him. Seems like your daughter is just as clingy with him as you are.”

I give him a small smile. “He’s been so good.”

He nods. “Have you ever considered… telling him?”

“About… the thing?”

He nods.

I shake my head. “He respects that I can't. He's willing to wait until I feel ready to open up about it all.”

He smiles. “He really does love you.”

I smile weakly.

“What's on your mind?”

“It's going to sound stupid.”

“No it won't.”

I sigh. “What if… when he finds out about it all,” I say. “What if…” I press my lips together in a thin line. Tears sting my eyes as I continue, “What if he doesn't want me anymore?”

“Oh, Aer!” He says, before crossing to me. “That's not going to happen.”

“You don't know that,” I reply. “It could change the way he sees me. I’m broken & who would ever want to be with me?”

“Hey,” He says, cupping my cheeks & making me look at him. “You're not broken, Aer. You're strong. Don't let what he did to you stop you from having the life you deserve. I see the way Jay looks at you. He would do anything for you.”

“There's always a breaking point.”

He pulls me in, wrapping me in a hug. I wrap my arms around him.

The front door opens & we pull apart. I wipe my tears away before turning around, just as Jay enters with Felicity in his arms.

“Mummy!” She squeals.

“Hey baby!” I reply, crossing to them as Jay shuts the door.

I take Felicity, kissing her cheek as I pull her into me. Jay kisses me.

“Sorry I wasn't there when you woke,” he says.

“It's fine, Tyler explained.”

Jay nods. “I ended up taking her to the lake.”

“Ducks!” Felicity says.

“Yeah, we saw the ducks,” Jay replies.

I gasp. “Wow! Ducks! Did you feed them?”

“Yah!” Felicity replies.

“You’ve been crying,” Jay says, frowning with concern.

“It's nothing,” I reply.

“It's not nothing,” Tyler replies. He crosses to us. “Hey, Felicity. Wanna come with me into the backyard?”

She reaches for him. Tyler takes her from me before I can protest, holding her close as he heads for the backyard.

“Talk to me, Aer,” Jay says.

I walk over to couch & he follows. We both sit down.

“I’m scared,” I say.

“Of what?”

“Of losing you.”

“Why?”

“All of this stuff…” I say. I look at my hands. “The reason why I hate my parents.”

“Erin,” he says.

I don't look at him. So he places his hand under my chin, taking hold of it between his finger & thumb, & turns me to look at him.

“There is _nothing_ that could ever make me leave you,” He says. “Whatever happened that started all of this with your parents, however big it is… I’m not going to walk away from you.”

“But you don't know what it is,” I reply. “And when you do, you're gonna see me differently & you won't want to be with me.”

He cups my cheeks. “I get that you're feeling insecure, that your mum’s visit has rattled you,” He replies. “But I love you. I’m so in love with you, it drives me crazy. And I’m going to stand by you no matter what. Whatever it is, it won't stop me from loving you. Whenever you do tell me what it is, don't be scared too, okay? Cause I'm going to fight for us, alright? I’m going to do everything I can to be with you for the rest of my life.” He brushes away my tears with his thumbs. “All of these demons that you're fighting. I’m going to do my best to get them gone. Because I want you to be happy. Life hasn't been all that kind to you so far, but I’m going to make sure it does from now on. Cause it's beaten & worn you down, & I see all the pain in your eyes. I see how much you struggle, how heavy a burden that horrible past is for you. But you know what? It doesn't make me love you any less. In fact, I love you even more for being so damn strong. I’m not going to hold the past against you. Because you made it through all of that heartache. You made it through, & you're so strong & I love you for it. You may think you're broken, that you're unloveable… but you are _wrong_. Because you're _none_ of that. You are loved by so many people. You're my love.” He squeezes my cheeks slightly. “You hear that? You're my love. _My_ love.”

I smile as he leans in, capturing my lips. I slide my hand into his hair, pulling him closer. He drops his hands, wrapping his arms around my waist & pulls me even closer. He breaks our kiss, resting his forehead on mine.

“I don't deserve you,” I whisper.

“You so do, Aer,” He replies. “You deserve to be happy. You deserve to be loved, & you are. Us… we’re the universe’s way of telling you that whatever you’ve been through- & I know you’ve been through a lot- it's all worth the fight because you have me. You have me, & Felicity. You have your brothers. And I’m going to keep reminding you of that, whenever you need it. You're my world. You're my present, my future… my all.”

I fight back tears. “You sound like you're about to propose.”

“Maybe I should,” He replies, pulling back. “Unofficially, of course. Because I want you know that I’m going to be there, by your side. Forever.”

I smile. “So do it.”

“It won't mean anything right now.”

“To me, it will,” I reply. “I feel like my world is falling down. And we keep talking about getting married, but we can't until your divorce is finalised & frankly, I’m sick of waiting. So why don't you just do it? It can be between just us. We don't have to tell anyone until we can. And you can go all romantic & make a more memorable one later, when we can make it official. But right now? Right now I want it.”

****

I slip off the couch, dropping onto one knee as I fish my keys out of my pocket. I free one of the keyrings, dumping the rest onto the coffee table as Erin shifts along the couch to where I’d been seated.

I look at her- she's so stunningly beautiful. I take a deep breath.

****

I carry Felicity inside, having exhausted both of us running & spinning round the backyard. I turn into the doorway between the laundry & kitchen, stopping when I see Jay down on one knee in front of Erin.

“Shh,” I whisper to Felicity.

“Shhh,” She whispers back.

****

“Erin,” Jay says. He smiles. “Will you marry me?”

Tears fill my eyes & I smile. I nod. “Yes!”

His smile grows. He slips the keyring onto my ring finger, both of us relieved it fits. I cup his cheeks with both hands & pull him in for a long kiss.

“Woah!” Tyler says, breaking us apart.

I turn, hands slipping to Jay’s neck, & see Tyler crossing to us with Felicity.

“I thought you two couldn't…” He fades off, pointing at my hand.

Jay nods. “Erin wanted me to now,” He replies. “And keep it quiet until we can do it properly.”

Tyler slowly nods. “So… I can congratulate you?”

“On the basis you don't tell anyone else,” I say. “Not even Mark & Az.”

“Hey, it's your news,” He replies. “Your call.”

Jay gets to his feet & helps me to mine. I take Felicity from Tyler, before he shakes hands with Jay.

“Bring it in, bro,” Tyler says, stepping in.

I smile as they hug. Tyler then turns to me.

“You might wanna put her down,” He says.

Frowning in confusion, I settle Felicity on the couch. Tyler envelops me in a crushing hug as soon as I’m standing straight.

“I told you he's not leaving,” Tyler whispers in my ear.

“Yeah,” I whisper back.

He kisses my cheek.

****

“Hey,” Aaron says as he comes in the front door.

“Hey,” Erin replies, looking up from chopping vegetables as we prep dinner.

“How's things?” He asks.

“Better,” She replies.

“Good.”

“How was your day?”

“Good.”

“Ask her how her day went,” Tyler says, stepping out from the bedrooms.

“ _Tyler_ ,” Erin says, sternly.

Tyler smiles at her.

“Okay,” Aaron says, looking confused at them. “What's going on?”

Erin sighs. “It was supposed to be between just the two of us,” She replies. “But… given our brother has a big mouth…” She sighs. “Jay & I are… kinda engaged.”

“You're _what?!_ ” Aaron & Mark both ask.

Mark, Paige & the twins are coming in the door.

“Hey, welcome back!” Erin says.

“Nuh uh,” Mark replies. “Don't try to deflect attention, Aer. What's this about an engagement?”

“Apparently our sister is engaged,” Aaron replies.

“I thought you weren't until the divorce was done,” Paige says.

“Which is why I wasn't gonna announce it,” Erin replies.

“Erin was worried I’m going to leave when I find out what this stuff is with her parents,” I say. “We talked, &… it happened.”

“It came up in our talk, &… I’m done with waiting,” Erin adds. “I’m sick of everything in my life falling apart. We kept saying we both wanted it, & I’ve decided enough is enough. Screw waiting. Let's be engaged & make it public once we can.”

“I’m happy for you,” Mark says.

“We all are,” Paige adds, lightly punching his arm.

Aaron, Paige & Mark take turns congratulating us. Mark’s last with Erin, the two of them holding their hug for a while, whispering to each other. They part, Mark pressing a big kiss to her cheek.

****

My mobile buzzes as I’m setting the table. I finish before picking it up, seeing it's a text from Ned.

_Come back & stay the night._

I smile, sending him a reply- _And why would I do that?_

“It's nice seeing you smile,” Susan says.

I look at her. “I smile a lot.”

“Not like that, you don't,” She replies, just as another text comes in. “Got a secret admirer?”

“Maybe,” I reply, looking at my mobile.

_Because I want you to. And you know you do too._

****

I place my mobile down, barely letting it go when she replies. I snatch it up & look.

_We’re about to have dinner._

_So make up an excuse. I’ll cook. You can thank me in my bed ;)_

****

I stare at his text, heat pooling in my core, my cheeks flushed. All I can think about is pressing my naked body against his, kissing him as we make love.

“Are you okay?” Susan asks, snapping me from my thoughts.

“Uh… yeah,” I reply. “I’m suddenly feeling hot. Do you mind if I go splash my face?”

She nods. “Of course, go right ahead.”

I smile. “Thank you.”

She smiles back. I head into the bathroom, shutting the door behind me before crossing to the sink. I place my mobile down & turn on the tap, cupping my hands as I bend over & run my hands over my face. But closing my eyes only intensifies the images in my mind. I can feel his hands on my hips, fingers digging into my skin as he thrusts & a moan escapes my lips before I can stop it.

I dry off my face & pick up my mobile, typing out a text to him- _Give me a few minutes & I’ll be there._

I make it almost all the way back to the main room when his reply comes through.

_Hate to tease you, but Dad & Lauren unexpectedly arrived home. Meant to be tomorrow, but they decided to change plans & failed to tell me. Really wanted to hear you moan again. Can’t wait until we can again ;)_

I lean my back on the wall & bite my bottom lip. I type out a simple reply- _Bummer_.

I take a minute to compose myself, turning to head into the living area when he replies. I press my back against the wall as I lift my mobile to read it.

_Total. Was planning on teasing you in the kitchen._

I swallow hard, the image of him pinning me against the kitchen bench as he rubs his fingers through my folds, teasing me until I fall apart fills my mind.

****

I go for a run after dinner, pushing myself a little too hard. I slow as I approach the complex, taking deep breaths as I wipe sweat from my brow. It's almost 9pm but still light, given we’re basically in Summer now.

The door into _Harold’s_ opens  & Piper comes out. I jog over to her, catching her at the edge.

“Hey,” I say.

“Hey,” She smiles. “Woah! You're sweaty.”

I nod. “Probably pushed it too much.”

“You worried about Erin?”

“A little,” I reply. “But… given what happened this afternoon… I know she’ll be fine.”

“What happened this afternoon?”

“I don't think I can say.”

She frowns.

“Not my news to tell.”

****

I nod. He steps closer, sweat dripping from his jaw, backing me up against the front wall of _Harold's_. His fingers ghost over my hips.

“Come over,” He whispers. “We can have fun.”

“Maybe.”

“You haven't been over for a while,” He replies. “I miss you. I hate not having you in my arms while I sleep.”

“Then come over to mine.”

“And have Terese watch me like a hawk?” He asks. “I’ll pass.”

“Mum’s fine with us.”

“Still… I can do more things with you if we’re at mine.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Like…”

He places his hands on my hips, swaying them in opposite directions as he replies, “Come over & find out.”

“Mmm… No.”

“Please don't make me beg.”

I smirk. “But it's cute when you do.”

He rolls his eyes, turning to go. He takes as step & I take hold of his wrist, pulling him back to me. I cup the back of his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. He pushes me back against the wall & I moan, both of us momentarily forgetting we're out in full public. I push him back, breaking our kiss.

“So is that a yes?” He asks.

****

She rocks her hips as I pump my fingers & I love the little moans she keeps letting out as we kiss. I knead the heel of my hand against her clit & she gasps, her back arching.

I kiss my way down & bring her left nipple into my mouth. I suck on it, flicking my tongue over the tip. I gently bite it, pulling it up & let it slip out. She lets out a high pitched squeak when it snaps back.

“Ty,” She whimpers as I suck her nipple again.

“Relax,” I say. “Go with the flow. Don't resist.”

I push my fingers deeper inside her, watching as she squirms. I capture her lips to silence the moan escaping her lips as she falls apart, her hips lifting & falling as she rides her climax.

I kiss her neck as she stills, her chest rising & falling rapidly. I smirk against her skin.

“Now who’s sweaty.”

“Not nearly as much as you were,” She replies.

I lightly nip her neck. Her fingers wrap around my wrist, pulling me out of her. She brings my hand up, & I groan as I feel her lips on my fingers. I pull back in time to see her slowly lick her juices off my fingers.

“Fuck, Pipes,” I groan, rolling onto my back.

She smirks, before climbing onto me until she's straddling me.

“Gladly,” She replies.

She reaches between her legs, holding my length up & I watch as she slowly lowers herself on. I groan as she slides all the way down. She places her hands on my chest for support & slowly rides me.

****

I look down as the credits roll on the movie, smiling as I see both of them asleep. Erin had tried to put Felicity to bed at her bedtime, but was met by a whimpering, crying little girl. So Erin caved, letting her stay up. After a while, Erin rested her head on my lap, spooning with Felicity, who is using Erin’s left arm as a pillow.

I brush Erin’s hair back. She stirs, but doesn't wake. It's so good seeing her sleep peacefully again. After all this drama, it's good to know she's coming out of it okay. I worry about her- about what dark secrets lie within. It's remarkable that she's made it this far with them. I feel so lucky to have her. She's still wearing my clothes, & if it wasn't for her little angel, I would carry her to bed.

She moans, snapping me from my thoughts & I realise I’m tracing patterns directly onto her hip, having pushed my shirt up to expose it. She slowly opens her eyes as she turns her head & looks at me over her shoulder.

“What time is it?” She mumbles.

“Time for bed,” I reply. “Even though I love having you sleep like this.”

She smiles. “Well, then. We should watch movies more often.”

I smirk. “We can every night,” I reply. “And someday, whenever we have our own place, we can sleep on the couch.”

She nods. “I should take her to her bed.”

I nod & she sits up, being careful not to wake Felicity. She lifts Felicity, cradling her in her arms & gets up. We head for the bedrooms. I see Erin sleepily walking.

“Why don't you give her to me, & you can get ready for bed while I settle her?”

She smiles. “You're perfect.”

I smirk. “Just being helpful,” I reply. “Gotta look after my fiancée & her daughter.”

“Mmmm, I love that.”

“What?”

“You calling me that.”

I smirk. “Get used to it.”

“Oh, I will.”

She kisses me, before giving me Felicity. I carry her down the dark hallway, her little head resting on my shoulder. I step into her room, closing the door before flicking on the light. I carry her over to her small bed & kneel down. Holding her in one arm, I fold back her sheets. Erin had managed to get her changed into her pjs before letting her stay up, so all I have to do is lie her down, pull the sheets over her & tuck her in. I kiss her forehead, lightly brushing my fingers through her hair. She looks exactly like her mum.

“Night, my little angel,” I whisper, before pressing one last kiss to her forehead.

I cross to the door, pausing to look back at her before opening the door a little, flick the light off & slip out, shutting it behind me.

I enter our bedroom, finding Erin slumped in bed. I shut the door & cross to her, stripping to my boxers. She's asleep on her side, still wearing my tee, which has bunched up to almost expose her butt with the covers still pushed back. I get in, pulling the covers over both of us. I slide my left arm over her & she pushes back, pressing herself against me. I kiss her neck, smirking as I catch sight of the keyring on her finger as it glints in the soft light. Someday I’ll replace it with a diamond ring, when I propose for real. But for now, it's the perfect low key engagement ring. I turn my head slightly as I close my eyes, drifting asleep with the sweet scent of her hair filling my nose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up: Ned & Elly's thing gets serious. But not everyone is happy for the new couple. But could there be an underlying reason that has nothing to do with them?


	82. Feuds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Jay & Erin enjoy the latest development in their relationship, Ned & Elly make a decision about theirs. But a feud might cause problems for them. And that's not the only threat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I don't even know how long its been since I updated... so sorry for that! But here it finally is!

He spins me around, pushing on my lower back until I’m pressed against the wall. He slides his hands over my butt, pausing to squeeze my cheeks & I bite back a moan. He pushes my right foot with his, making me spread my legs & I obey. He slips his hand under me, rubbing my sex & I moan.

He stops & I whimper. I hate feeling this way- depending on him when I’m so independent. He pushes inside me & we both sigh. He thrusts, slowly & I feel the heat spread from my core through my body.

I push my hips back, changing the angle & he groans. He thrusts harder, hands squeezing my breasts & I moan. I drop my head, seeing stars as the pleasure shoots through me. I curl my fingers, desperately trying to grip the wall to steady myself as I wobble on my high heels.

“Oh god!” I moan. “ _Yessssssss_! Harder, baby!”

He thrusts as hard as he can & I cry out. He pulls me back, pressing my back flush against his chest, making my feet lift off the ground & wraps his arms tight around my waist. He turns around, leaning back so his shoulders rest against the wall- I’m lying on his chest, my legs dangling. He digs his hands into my sides & thrusts. I gasp, head rolling back against his shoulder. I reach down & rub my clit, desperate to orgasm. He sucks the nape of my neck & I climax. His hits soon after.

****

I wake up, finding myself alone in my bed. My sheets are tangled up to one side, clearly kicked off during my dream. I bite my lip, feeling the burning heat between my legs. _There's only one way to fix this._

****

I briskly walk over to the front door as someone fervently knocks on it. I pull it open, surprised to see Elly standing there.

“Are we alone?” She asks.

“You know it's polite to say ‘hi, how are you?’ first,” I reply.

“And you know when I have my eyes set on someone, I skip over the small chit-chat,” She replies. “Are. We. Alone?”

“Dad’s gone with Lauren to have brunch at _Harold's_ before her shift.”

“Good,” She replies, stepping past me.

“Sure, let yourself in,” I mutter, shutting the door.

“So…” She replies, looking around. She turns to me. “Which way to your room?”

I smirk. “Down the hall,” I reply, nodding my head that way.

She smiles, slowly walking backwards. She wiggles her finger, gesturing for me to come with her. I follow her down the hall. She pushes me backwards into my room, kicking the door shut & pushes me onto my back on my bed. She kneels beside me, unbuckles my belt, undoes my jeans & tugs them & my briefs halfway down my thighs.

“What are you- _ohhhhh_!” I moan, closing my eyes when she slides my length into her mouth.

She sucks me, making me so hard I almost come in her mouth. She then stops & straddles me, running her hands under my shirt, snaking their way up my chest as she slowly leans down. She kisses me, & I grab her ass. I need to be in her _right now_.

I pull her dress up, forcing her to break our kiss so I can pull it over her head. She tugs my shirt up & I sit up so she can pull it off. But the movement pushes her down onto my erection, her undies rubbing it & we both moan. I unhook her bra, yanking it off & tossing it aside. I grab her ass, lifting her up off my lap. I slip my hand between us, push her undies to one side & guide her down onto me. We both sigh contentedly as she slides all the way down. She wraps her arms around my neck as my hands rest on her hips. I push her hips up & down, getting her to ride me & we both moan.

Eventually she slides her hands onto my chest & pushes me back. I willingly lie down, moaning as the new angle tightens her around me & I nearly orgasm. She grinds her hips, moving them in circles hard against my hips & I dig my fingers into her hips.

I pull her into me, claiming her lips as I hold her tight. I thrust into her, making her moan. We both orgasm at the same time, & I slow my thrusts as we come down.

“We need to talk about us,” I say, lips brushing hers.

“No,” She replies.

“We do,” I reply. “The last woman to use me to get off left me broken hearted, & I have to see her almost every day with the man she chose over me. So I’m not interested in you fucking me if we’re not dating.”

“Okay,” She replies. “Good to know that you wanna date as much as I do.”

I cup her face with both hands, pushing her back so I can look her in the eyes. “You really want to date me?”

“You fuck me better than anyone I’ve ever been with,” She replies, pushing her hips back & I moan. “Why would I give you up?”

“True.”

“Besides…” She replies. “I like you.” She bites her lip. “ _Really_ like you.”

“And I _really_ like you too.”

She leans down, claiming my lips. I thrust into her, making her moan.

****

After working under the pump all morning, things finally eased up in the afternoon, my workload slowly lightening & I feel less stressed. Having loads to do is good, but… things get too much sometimes. I really need to ask Lucas if I can hire some help.

I hear something collide with the desk & I look up, seeing her step round her bag & flop into the chair.

“If you wanna be aggressive, I have an old car hood that needs a beating,” I say.

“You got a mallet?”

“Of course.”

“Good, cause I wanna borrow it.”

I nod, wiping my hands. “You can,” I reply. “I'll get it for you. And show you where the hood is.”

“Don't need the hood.”

I frown.

“I wanna use it to bash her.”

“Who?”

“The new teacher.”

“Pipes, you can't.”

“Why not?”

“You just can't!”

“But _why_?”

“How about you tell me what exactly she's done to make you this mad?”

“She keeps picking on me,” She replies. “Keeps singling me out, & any time I try to stick up for myself, I end up on some kind of detention. None of them do I deserve. And then there's the fact my grades are going down. But not across all my classes, like you’d expect given how my year has been. No, it's just _her_ class. I mean, I’ve slipped a little across the board, but _hers_ is the worst.”

“Have you talked to Susan about it?”

She shakes her head.

“Pipes…” I sigh.

“What am I meant to say to her?” She asks. “Hey, Susan. Your niece is being a bully to me.”

“Wait… Miss Conway’s related to Susan?”

“Yeah,” She replies. “She's living with Susan.” She frowns. “How did you not know that?”

I shrug. “I move in a slightly different social circle than the Kennedy’s.”

“Well, she is. Which makes talking to Susan about how she's being unfair with me completely impossible.”

“I’m sure Susan will keep things professional.”

She shakes her head as she gets to her feet. “I don't think so.”

“How will you know if you don't try?”

“I just do, okay?” She replies, crossing to me.

“Well, why don't you take out that anger on something,” I reply. “My offer of bashing the old hood still stands.”

She shakes her head.

“Okay… well… how about another way of de-stressing.”

“What have you got in mind?”

I smirk, taking hold of her hand. I lead her back towards the desk.

****

He makes me sit down.

“Stay,” He says, backing away.

  
“I'm not a dog!”

He goes over to the roller door & pulls it shut. He then comes back over to me, cupping my face in his hands & bending over just enough to meet my lips.

He drops to his knees as we kiss & then pulls back. He places his hands on my knees, slowly sliding them up my legs, pushing my skirt up. He lightly brushes his fingertip over my undies & my hips jerk. He cups my sex & slowly rubs back & forth, my hips rocking forward in time with his movements.

He leans forward & I meet him halfway, cupping his cheeks as he captures my lips. He pushes my undies aside, pushing two fingers inside & I gasp. He slowly pumps, his other arm wrapping around my waist, pulling me forward until I'm almost off the chair.

He uses the new position to slip a third finger inside & I tilt my head back, his lips dropping to my neck. His thumb rubs my clit & I moan, pleasure shooting through me.

****

I pull her off the chair, pressing her against me as I still my hand, letting her slide my fingers all the way in & she whimpers.

“Ty,” She moans, her body trembling.

I hold her, unmoving for a long beat. I then swipe her clit three times from side to side with my thumb. She cries out, nails digging into the back of my neck, her whole body shaking as she falls apart. I kiss the base of her neck as she comes down.

****

“How was that?” He asks, pulling back to look me in the eyes.

“Good,” I reply. “But...”

“But?”

“I want more.”

He raises his eyebrow.

“Oh, come on! You can't expect me to stop after that!”

“I have work to do.”

“So do I,” I reply, before capturing his lips.

I push my hips up, dragging them down against him, rubbing his bulge & he moans into my mouth.

He forces me back, making me lie down & presses himself on top. His hand slips under my shirt, squeezing my breast & I moan. I run my hands down his chest, pulling his shirt up & off. He undoes my skirt, unbuttoning my shirt quickly. He undoes my bra, kissing my breasts as he pulls it off. He kisses down my body, lips brushing the material of my undies & I lift my hips.

****

She grips my hair as I work her to her high, her hips shifting as she rides the waves of pleasure. I grip her hips as she falls apart, licking her juices up.

She pulls me up & I press myself against her, capturing her lips as I rock my hips against hers. She pulls at my overalls, & together we push them down.

I thrust into her, smirking as she cries out. I stifle her moans with my mouth as I thrust, her nails digging into my back. I thrust slowly, taking my time to enjoy the pleasure. She wraps her legs around my waist, crossing her legs & forces me in deeper.

She screams my name as she falls apart, & I kiss her to smother the noise. She guides me in deeper, rocking her hips, helping me fall too.

I place my hands either side of her & push up. I look down at her as we both come down, her eyes closing as her chest rises & falls heavily, cheeks flushed. So beautiful.

“I love you,” She whispers.

“I love you too,” I reply, leaning down to kiss her.

I inadvertently rock my hips & she moans.

“Fuck,” She whispers.

“Think you can go again?” I whisper back.

“I thought you had work to do?”

“I can spare a little longer break.”

I flip us, bringing her down onto my length & guide her hips up & down. She tilts her head back, her mouth ajar as she pants. I slide my right hand down, lightly brushing her clit.

****

“That's an interesting ring,” Ned says.

I look up from my work, finding him standing at my table having brought my drink over. I frown in confusion. He nods towards my hand, & I realise he means the keyring. It's the only piece of jewellery I have on.

“Didn't pick you for such… an unorthodox piece,” He says.

“Yeah, neither did I.”

“So what's the meaning of it?” He asks & I frown. “I mean, it's not your style, so… I figured it must mean something to you.”

I smile. “It does,” I reply. I look down at it, rubbing a finger over it. “I just can't say why.”

He nods. “Secret, huh?”

I look at him & nod. “Something like that.”

“Congratulations.”

I frown.

“You're wearing it on your left ring finger,” He replies. “Dead give away.”

I smile slightly. “We’re technically not engaged,” I reply. “Jay’s divorce is still being finished, so… that's why…” I trail off, holding up my left hand.

He nods. “I’m really happy for you.”

I smile. “Thanks.”

“You're welcome.”

“How about you?” I ask. “And Elly?”

He smirks. “You were talking about me on your night out.”

“Oh, don't get so smug,” I reply. “We did talk about you, but it was mainly how she wanted to be with you & not us. I called her crazy for picking moody me over you.”

“Oh, so _you’re_ the reason she turned up on my doorstep drunk!”

“Oi,” I reply. “She wanted you. I merely encouraged her to go get you.”

He leans his arms on my table, leaning in close before saying quietly, “Thank you.”

“You're welcome,” I reply. “I want you to be happy.”

“Well… I am.”

I raise my eyebrow. “Does that mean…?”

He nods. “We’re dating,” He replies. “As of this morning.”

I look shocked, lightly hitting his arm. He chuckles.

“I told you you should go get her,” I reply. “Now I’m really glad you ignored me on my birthday & I got her drunk & nudged her to your house.”

“Hey, keep that ego small, Erin.”

I shake my head. “Nuh uh.”

He chuckles as he shakes his head & walks off.

****

“Piper!” He calls.

I groan, wishing I could avoid talking to him. I roll my eyes as he falls into step beside me.

“Hi Angus,” I say, forcing a smile.

“I thought we could walk home together, since we live across the street from each other,” He replies. “I thought we could get to know each other a bit more.”

He grew up in London, which is cool. But I just don't like him. Can't figure out why. And his accent! Totally like nails on a chalkboard. Actually, that would be more tolerable than him. _Why is it that Jay’s is so much nicer to hear than Angus’?_

“Piper?” He asks, snapping me from my thoughts.

“Huh?” I reply. “Oh, yeah… uh… sure.”

****

I walk into _The Waterhole_ & stop a few steps in to scan the room for her. I smirk as I see she's sitting on the couch where she was when I first saw her. I walk over to her, seeing she's focused on paperwork. Just like the first time. I stand there, watching her for a minute, completely oblivious to my presence.

“Hey,” I say.

She looks up & smiles, her face filling with delight. “Hey,” She replies as I sit down beside her.

I lean in & kiss her.

“What are you doing?” I ask.

“Work,” She replies. “Where's Felicity?”

“At home with all three of her Uncles,” I reply. “So if you're done for the day, I was thinking I could have a few celebratory drinks with my fiancée.”

“I thought we were keeping that low key.”

“We are,” I reply, draping my arm behind her. “Doesn't mean I can't have a few drinks with you. No one has to know why.”

She smiles slightly. “How about you go get the first round & I’ll pack up my work.”

I nod. She turns to her paperwork, but I cup her cheek & turn her back to me, capturing her lips with mine before she can say anything. I deepen the kiss & she moans.

“What was that for?” She asks as we part several minutes later, both breathless.

“Do I have to have a reason to kiss my gorgeous fiancée?”

She smiles, blushing.

“Just the usual drink?”

She nods, before kissing me. I get up as she turns to her paperwork on the coffee table. I head for the bar, pausing to look back at her & watch her gather it all up into one pile. I smile as I turn around, thankful that our jobs led us to each other.

****

I take one hand off the wheel & turn the radio up, tapping the wheel with both hands as I nod, enjoying the song. As I approach Ramsay Street, I spot Piper walking along from the opposite direction as she talks to a young boy from Erinsborough High.

I slow down, preparing to turn & stop despite it being clear to turn. I watch them, not recognising him. But whoever he is, Piper sure doesn't look too enthralled to be with him. I watch them as they turn into the street & head up her house’s side. I turn into the street, watching them as I pass- noting her eye roll & exasperated expression that he doesn't notice- & turn into Lauren’s driveway. I switch off the engine & hop out, watching them stop outside hers as I shut my door. I go around to the other side of my van, & pretend to get something from the back as I watch them. Piper still doesn't look too keen & I wonder who he is.

I step towards them, planning on interrupting to bail her out, but stop at the edge of the road when I see them say goodbye. I watch as he heads across the road, frowning as I notice he's heading to the Kennedy’s.

“Hey Ned,” Piper says, drawing my focus back to her.

She's crossing over to me.

“Hey,” I reply.

“Did you want something?” She asks. “I noticed you were about to come over.”

I shrug. “Was just going to come see how you are. Haven't seen you in a while.”

“Mmm,” She replies, pressing her lips together as she smiles. “Kinda been spending all my non-school time either studying or spending time with Tyler.”

I nod. She sighs as she looks up the street, her body language changing back to the same as it was with the teen boy & I frown.

“Everything okay?

“Yeah,” She replies, looking at me. “Why wouldn't it be?”

I raise my eyebrow. “Because you had the look of a student in detention while talking to... who was that?”

“Angus.”

“Ah,” I reply, nodding slightly as I look up the road to the Kennedys.

“And was it really that obvious that I wasn't into that?”

I turn to her. “I could spot your detest from my van.”

She groans, burying her face in her hands.

“What's going on, Pip?” I ask, placing my hands on her arms.

“Nothing,” She replies, dropping her hands.

“It's not ‘nothing’,” I reply. “You were uncomfortable talking to him.”

She sighs. “It's just…” She shakes her head.

“Pip,” I plead. “Anything you say right now… it stays between us. You can tell me anything.”

She presses her lips together. She sighs. “I don't really like him,” She replies. “He sort of… ambushed me on the way home, &… it's hard to say no when I was on my own. I mean, had Ben & Xanthe been there, I would have come up with an excuse with Xanthe’s help.”

“Did he… say anything to you?” I ask. “Anything to make you feel uncomfortable?”

“That covers anything he says,” She replies. “He gets on my nerves.”

“Okay,” I reply. “Did he hit on you? Ask you out?”

She looks surprised. “Why… why would you…?”

“I just… want to know if he's overstepping.”

She shakes her head. “It's fine.”

“You sure.”

“Nothing I can't handle.”

“Alright. But you know, if you reach the point that you can't handle it-”

“I will talk to you.”

I smirk.

“Thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

She steps closer, wrapping her arms around my waist as her head rests against my chest. I wrap my arms around her tightly, resting my head on top of hers.

****

“Leave my sister alone.”

“Sorry,” Angus replies. “What?”

“You heard me,” I reply, leaning against the doorframe.

“And you are?”

“Someone who can easily make your life hell.”

“I think you have the wrong house.”

"Oh, I have the right house, Angus,” I reply. “You see, I saw you just now with my sister.”

He frowns… & then it hits. “You're Piper's brother.”

“Ah,” I reply, smiling. “You _do_ know who I am.”

“Not by name.”

“It's going to stay that way.”

“Until Piper tells me.”

“You see, that's where you're wrong,” I reply, pointing my finger at him. “Piper doesn't like you. So if you don't respect her & leave her alone, you’re going to be seeing me again. That's something that you want to prevent happening, because I won't be this polite.”

“I’ll report you to the police.”

I raise my eyebrow. “You're assuming you’ll still be able to talk after I do,” I reply. “And I never said anything about leaving you alive.”

He shifts uncomfortably, & I know he's feeling the heat of my threat.

He holds his head high. “I’d like to see you try.”

I step closer, stopping as close as I can to him & peer down at him, using my taller stature to intimidate him. He stares up at me, trying to look tough but I see the fear in his eyes, the nervous swallow... I smirk.

“Can I help you, Ned?”

I look over him, seeing her standing in the doorway to the bedrooms. She looks so beautiful, even with the confused expression.

“I was just having a little chat with Angus.”

“Is there something I should know about?” She asks.

I shake my head. “I’ve got this under control.”

****

“Leave her alone,” Ned says to Angus.

He stares down at Angus & then turns around, pushes the security door open & I watch him walk down the front path.

“What did you do?”

“Honestly, Elly,” He replies. “I haven't done anything.”

“So you're telling me Ned came over without you doing anything to trigger it?”

“I didn't even know him till just now.”

“No, but you're in the same class as his sister, Angus.”

“So?”

“Ned doesn't get protective like that unless there's a real threat,” I reply. “You surely must have done something, said something to Piper to justify him coming over here.”

“Or maybe you're letting your feelings for him cloud your judgement.”

I gape. “Excuse me?”

“You're taking his side,” he replies. “How am I supposed to defend myself when you're not being objective?”

“You have done something.”

“What is it with everyone accusing me of doing something wrong? Why is it always guilty until proven innocent?”

“Perhaps it's because you are guilty & you try to act innocent.”

He narrows his eyes. “Why are you defending her? You don't like her.”

“So?”

“We live together.”

I shrug.

“Why can't you be on my side, Elly?”

“I would if you were telling the truth.”

“Ever wonder if she's lying?”

“Just own up to whatever you’ve done, Angus,” I reply. “You're being really childish about this.”

“Why won't you listen to me?” He asks, walking towards me. “I haven't done anything.”

“I’m not stupid, Angus!” I exclaim. “I know when one of my students is lying to me.”

“You hate that lying skank & yet you're defending her,” Angus snaps. “I don't get how you can be mean to her face & nice behind her back.”

“Watch what you say next,” I reply. “Because calling her a skank is more than enough to land you in detention for a week. But I’m willing to give you a warning.”

“You're doing this, defending her, because of him.”

I frown. “ _What_?”

“You have feelings for him,” He replies. “That's why you're taking her side.”

“My feelings for Ned isn't a part of this,” I reply. “I’m judging this based on what I know. I’ve seen you & Piper together. She always looks uncomfortable around you. And having Ned turn up on our doorstep, warning you to stay away from her… it all points to you having done something. So just tell me what you’ve done & we can sort this out.”

“What do you see in a guy like him? Doesn't he just attract trouble? You deserve to be with someone who will treat your right.”

“You don't know enough about relationships to be dishing advice.”

“But I know you.”

“You're on detention,” I reply. “For a week.”

“What?”

“Two weeks.”

“Elly!” He pleads.

“I would stop protesting, unless you want me to extend it further.”

“Can I at least ask why I’m on detention?”

“For calling a peer a ‘skank’,” I reply. “And for refusing the chance to settle this in a mature way.”

“That's not fair.”

“If you had simply told me what's going on, you wouldn't be in detention,” I reply. “Your attitude towards this indicates that you are unwilling to handle this situation in a mature manner. You keep refusing to own up to your actions, & you're acting like a toddler when I’m giving you the chance to. Had you simply dropped the attitude & owned up to your behaviour with Piper, I wouldn't have to put you on detention.”

“She's uncomfortable around me because she clearly likes me & is too ashamed to admit it because of her boyfriend.”

“When will you _stop lying_?”

“When will you stop accusing me of that?”

“Urgh!” I reply. “You're on detention for the next four weeks.”

“Elly!”

“ _No_!” I reply. “You need to learn what you’ve done wrong. And the only way I can see you doing that, is to put you on detention.”

He opens his mouth to argue.

“Stop!” I exclaim. “Because if you say even _one_ more word, I’m extending your detention by two weeks. Nod if you understand.”

He hesitates but nods.

“Good,” I reply. “Now, go do your homework in your room. Your detention starts tomorrow. I’ll talk to you in the morning about the details.”

****

I unlock the front door & we quietly come inside, Jay shutting the door behind us. We head to the couch & sit down. I dump my work on the coffee table & my handbag on the floor beside it, before leaning back & snuggling up to him. A few drinks turned into dinner.

“Thank you for tonight.”

“You're welcome,” He replies. “It's nice getting to go out, just the two of us.”

“Yeah,” I reply. “But I feel bad about not being here for Felicity’s bedtime.”

“You're allowed to go out for the night,” He says, squeezing me closer.

“I know,” I sigh. “It's just…”

“You miss your little girl.”

“I’m resisting my need to go in there right now & sit with her.”

He smiles, chuckling a little. “I love how dedicated you are to her.”

“Well, she's my baby girl,” I reply. “I love her so much. And I want her to know that. That I’m always going to be there for her.”

“And you are,” he replies, cupping my cheek. “But you're also allowed to have time away from her.”

“I know, it's just…” I sigh. “My parents… they were great when I was young, but… by the time I was a teen, things weren't great.”

“And you're scared that you're going to be like that?”

“I already am.”

“Aer, you're not,” he says. “You are the most amazing, caring, loving mother I know. And it's not your fault that your love life hasn't gone too well till now. Those men weren't right for you. But just because they haven't been there supporting you as you raise that cute little girl does not mean that you're not an amazing mum. What matters is your relationship with her. You’ve done an amazing job with her so far. I don't know what happened with your parents, but I do know you don't need to worry about being like them.”

I smile a little. “I’m sorry for calling you not a real daddy.”

“Don't be,” He replies, playing with my hair. “I know you were drunk… & the things you were saying shouldn't be taken too seriously.”

“Not all of them.”

He nods. “I get that there was some truth to it,” He replies. “Especially the stuff about your dad. But about me? I’m over it.”

“You're too good for me.”

“You gotta stop saying that.”

I shake my head. He smiles, before kissing me.

“You're good for her too.”

“Felicity?”

I nod.

“She's cute,” He replies, before smirking a little. “Just like her mum.”

I smile, blushing. “I love how much you love her. You don't have to, yet you do. You're the best I could ever hope for.”

“I love her. I can't explain it. I just love her.”

I smile. “She's pretty easy to love.”

He nods. “I didn't think I would ever love two at the same time, but… I do,” He says. “And I’m lucky enough to love them for the rest of my life.”

I smile, tears stinging my eyes. He smiles before kissing my temple.

“No matter what, you’ll always be Felicity’s dad,” I say. “Biologically, you're not. But… biology doesn't define being a good father. I know two men who have failed being a good father to their daughters. And I look at you &… I know.” I smile. “I see everything they lacked. And I love you so much for loving her the way you do. For treating her like she's yours. For being the father figure that she so deserves to have.” I fight back tears. “Because not many men would do that.”

“You’ve both had a rough life,” He replies. “And I know that she's a huge part of your life. So I opened my heart to her, to love her like I love you. I also know that you’ve had it harder, but she's growing up without her dad & it's not her or your fault but she deserves a dad. And just like I’m here for you, I’m going to do the same for Felicity.”

“Don't make me cry.”

He smiles, before cupping my face & kisses me. We kiss until we’re breathless. He rests his forehead against mine, wiping away my tears with his thumbs.

“I love you so much,” He whispers.

“I love you so much too,” I whisper back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So things are good between Jay & Erin; Ned & Elly are happily together as a couple, but with Elly & Piper clashing at school, how long will the new couple’s happiness last? And how will Angus act now that Ned & Elly have warned him to stay away from Piper? Will he cause trouble? And will Tyler find out?


	83. Where We Stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Erin enjoys a day home with Jay & Felicity, until her past shakes her once again. Piper's frustration over Elly's treatment of her causes a rift with her friends, but leads to a rather steamy encounter. Paige discovers an interesting way to keep herself occupied during Doctor Who, & Ned finds himself with a dilemma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a long overdue chapter, and I apologise for slacking off.

I put all the dirty laundry into my washing basket, before walking through to Felicity’s room to collect her laundry. I have the day off, & with Jay here I can do chores without worrying about keeping an eye on Felicity. I head through towards the main living area, stopping in the doorway when I spot Jay & Felicity sitting on the floor in the lounge. They’ve stopped playing with her toys- she's sitting quietly, watching him as he strums his guitar. He looks up, as if sensing her stare, & smiles at her.

“You like that, huh?” He asks. “What if I sing? Would you like me to sing to you, Felicity?”

“Ya!” She replies.

He sings her several children songs, all of which she loves. I rest against the doorframe & smile. I love seeing them together, to see that bond they have. A part of me wishes that Felicity really is his daughter. I love my daughter so much, but… I wish I’d met Jay sooner, & that he’s her biological father. I sigh, tears stinging my eyes.

****

A loud bang makes me jump, stopping in the middle of a song. I look to my right, watching Erin as she crouches down & gathers up laundry that is strewn around her. I put my guitar aside & get to my feet, leaving Felicity on the floor, & cross to her. As I approach, I notice her wipe away tears.

“Hey,” I say, concerned as I kneel down.

“I’m sorry,” She replies, continuing to collect the clothes & avoiding making eye contact with me.

“Hey,” I say, taking hold of her hands. “Are you okay?”

She nods.

“Look at me.”

She doesn't.

“Look at me, Aer.”

She looks at me & my heart breaks.

“What's going on?”

“I just dropped the laundry.”

“I know you, Aer,” I reply. “You don't get upset over something like dropping the laundry.”

She sighs. “It's just… I was watching you with her,” She says. “And… a part of me wishes that she’d come into my life a little bit later on. That I’d met you earlier than I did. That she-”

“What happened to your belief about biology not defining fatherhood?” I ask. “You said last night it doesn't define being a dad.”

She nods. “I know. But…” I sigh. “I… I can't help imagining what it would be like if she really is… _ours_.”

“Erin,” I reply, cupping her cheeks. “She's mine. I love her. I consider her mine. And I don't give a crap that she's biologically not mine. Because that doesn't matter to me. I consider her my daughter. She's family to me. Just like you are. I’m the one who's going to be there, raising her. I’m the one who will hug her when she cries. Chase away guys when she's old enough to date. I call her my daughter. She calls me her dad.”

She smiles slightly. “I just wish you’d been there from the start.”

“Sometimes I wish that too.”

I lean forward & press my lips to hers. I help pick the rest of the laundry up.

“Go sit down with Felicity,” I say. “I’ll put this load on & then come join you.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

“Aer.”

She sighs. “Okay.”

I kiss her. I watch her cross to Felicity & sit down, smiling as they play with her toys.

****

“Hey,” Jay says.

I look up from Felicity in time to see him settle on the floor.

“Hey,” I reply. “Thanks.”

He smiles. “I’m always going to be here for you. Both of you.”

I smile, tears stinging my eyes.

“Hey, Felicity,” He says. “Wanna continue with our music?”

“Ya!” Felicity says, making Jay & I smile.

“Okay,” Jay replies, reaching for his guitar.

He starts singing her favourite songs & Felicity crawls onto my lap. I lean down & kiss her head as she snuggles against my chest.

****

I’m in the middle of singing one of Felicity’s favourite nursery rhymes when I notice it- Erin’s lips moving. I smile- she's singing along.

Curious to know how she sounds, I gradually soften my singing, eventually stopping entirely, continuing to play my guitar & Erin doesn't seem to notice. She sounds _amazing_. I can't believe I didn't know she could sing like this!

The song ends & Felicity claps.

“I didn't know you could sing,” I say.

She shrugs. “I used to be in the choir at school,” She replies. “But other than singing to Felicity, I don't do it much anymore.”

“Well, you should.”

She looks at me.

“Erin, you're really good.”

“It's not my thing.”

“But you're amazing at it.”

“Not like you.”

“Erin-”

Felicity grumbles, pulling Erin’s attention. Felicity rubs her eyes.

“Time for a nap, huh?” Erin says.

Erin gets to her feet, scooping up Felicity & walks out before I can say anything else. I sigh.

****

“Urgh!” I reply, throwing my books into my locker.

“What’s up with you?” Xanthe asks.

“Just the same annoying thing,” I reply. “Or should I say _person_.”

“Come on, Pipes,” Ben says. “She’s not that bad.”

“Yeah, cause you’re family!”

“I think she’s great,” Xanthe says.

I press my lips together tightly. “I thought you two would be a little more supportive.”

“We just… think you should… keep open minded.”

I raise my eyebrow. “About a teacher who is going out of her way to bully me?”

“Do everything you can not to get on her bad side,” Xanthe says. “She can be really nice.”

“To everyone except me,” I reply. “I swear she’s made up her mind to never treat me the way she does everyone else. And the worst part is that I can’t go to Susan, because Elly’s her niece, so she’ll never believe me.”

“You won’t know unless you talk to her,” Ben replies. “Maybe I could ask her what she’d do if a student wanted to talk to her about Elly?”

“Thanks, but no thanks.”

“Piper,” Xanthe begs as I collect my books for my next class.

I slam my locker shut & lock it. “I gotta go.”

“Pipes, wait!” Xanthe says as I walk off.

****

He’s waiting in the doorway to our bedroom when I come from Felicity's, resting one shoulder against the doorframe. I give him a small smile.

“I’m sorry,” He says. “For upsetting you.”

“You didn't.”

“I totally did, Erin,” he replies. “I was pushing you about singing. And I’m sorry.”

“I sing just for Felicity.”

“Personally, I think that's a waste of talent.”

I glare at him & open my mouth to reply, but he gets in first.

“But I fully understand if you don't want to sing in public.”

I smile.

“Promise me something.”

“Mmm.”

“You’ll sing with me someday,” He replies. “Just the two of us.”

I smirk. “I think I can do that.”

He smiles. “Good,” He replies, taking my hand.

He pulls me closer, cupping my cheek with his other hand as he leans in & captures my lips. I press my body against his, his hand letting mine go to band around my waist & I wrap my arms around his neck.

He steps back, pulling me with him into our room. He kicks the door shut & pushes me against it. I moan into his mouth as he pins me between him & the door. He lifts me up & I wrap my legs around his waist. He turns, lips still on mine & carries me over to our bed. I smile against his lips as he presses his chest against mine, pinning me to our bed.

****

I roll over, coming to rest beside her & see her confusion as she turns her head to look at me.

“What?” She asks, before I capture her lips again.

I kiss down her jaw & neck, my hand pushing her skirt up, fingers brushing her knickers & her hips lift. I rub her more, smirking against her skin as she moans.

She reaches down, places her hand over mine & I groan as she pushes my hand around, the need to have her almost kills me.

I push her knickers aside & push two fingers into her. She gasps, her hips lifting off the bed. She turns to me, capturing my lips as I move in & out of her, her hips rocking & she rubs her clit.

She whimpers into my mouth as her high hits, her whole body trembling.

****

I slide my hand into his hair, my other leaving my clit to grab his shirt & pull him on top of me. He pushes himself against me & we moan. I slide my hands under his shirt, sliding them up his chest. I arch my back, desperate to feel every inch of me pressed against him. I pull his shirt off, whimpering when he nips my lip as I toss his shirt aside.

He hooks his arm behind me, before tipping sideways, rolling so I'm straddling him. I grind my hips, smirking against his lips as he moans.

He grips my skirt & pulls it up. I sit up, biting back a moan as I rub against his bulge & pull my shirt & skirt off, tossing them aside as his eyes darken as he sees me in my underwear. I reach for his belt, starting to undo it. He reaches up, sliding his hand behind my head & pulls me down, trapping my arms between us as he captures my lips.

****

I unhook her bra, pulling the straps down her arms, freeing them in the process & toss it aside before wrapping my arms around her, pulling her flush against me.

I roll us, bringing one hand up to cup her cheek as I rock my hips forward. She pushes her hands between us & I lift my hips, granting her access to my belt. She undoes it, undoing my jeans & I moan as she cups my bulge.

I push my pants & briefs down to my knees & she whimpers as I break our kiss to sit up. I kick my jeans & briefs off, before slowly pulling her knickers off. I toss them aside as I lean down, placing my hands either side of her & lower myself onto her. She smiles, cupping my cheeks & pulls me down, capturing my lips.

I rock my hips, rubbing against her sex, a move that usually makes her moan loudly.

Not today.

“Stop!” She exclaims, pushing me back.

“Aer?” I ask, worried as she struggles not cry.

She shakes her head, edging closer & closer to a breakdown with every shaky breath. I look down at her, unsure what to do, concerned she'll react defensively if I touch her.

“Erin?”

She shakes her head. She pushes my chest & I roll onto the bed. She scrambles up, grabs her dressing gown & pulls it on, hastily tying it closed as she heads for the door.

“Erin!”

She places her hand on the door, the other on the doorknob &... stops. Her whole body trembles. She rests her forehead on the door & my chest tightens as I hear her sobs. I sit up, wanting to go to her, to comfort her while she cries, but something keeps me where I am. _What have I done to upset her like this?_

And then she drops to her knees.

****

I'm not sure how long I'm a horrible, crying mess on the floor by my bedroom door before he comes over, but his hands cup my upper arms & I collapse against him, his arms instantly wrapping around me & holds me tight, his face burying into my scalp.

He runs his fingers through my hair as I cry. It's a trick we use with Felicity, but it's so calming that it works on me too. I listen to his heartbeat, & take deep breaths to slow my heartbeat to match his.

When the tears have stopped, & the bad memories have faded back into the depths of my mind, I pull back enough to look at him. He smiles reassuringly.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I’m so sorry for freaking out like that.”

“All I care about right now,” he says, cupping my face in his hands. “Is knowing that you're okay. What was going on in your mind?”

I shake my head.

“Erin.”

“I can't.”

“I get that you're scared to open old wounds, but when they make you so afraid of me you have to run... it makes me so worried,” he says. “I love you. And I'm scared that whatever this is, whatever happened to cause a rift between you & your parents... I get that it's scary & painful, but... it's tearing you apart. And that's affecting us. And I'm so damn scared that it will kill you. So please, Aer. Please be brave & tell me. Let me help you heal.”

Tears sting my eyes. I see the shared pain in his eyes. He pulls me in, holding me tight.

****

I slip my arm behind her knees, lifting her into my arms & slowly get to my feet. I carry her to my side of our bed & climb in, holding her in my arms.

“You don't have to tell me,” I whisper, lips brushing her forehead. “But promise me you won't run when it gets too much. Turn to me when it's overwhelming. Let me hold you, let me surround you with love until the bad memories fade.”

She swallows hard, & then nods before whispering, “I promise.”

I press a long kiss to her forehead.

****

I slide off him but then straddle his lap & wrap my arms around his neck. My fingers sliding into his hair as I lower my forehead against his.

“Make love to me,” I say, barely above a whisper.

“You sure?”

I nod. “I have these moments, where it all gets too much,” I reply. “But it passes & it has right now. And like you said, I need to let you in. I need your love, I need _you_. Because your love helps me so much. All the painful memories fade away when you hold me. You're the one who keeps me grounded.”

“So let's just lie here for a while,” he replies. “I’ll just hold you.”

I shake my head as I lower my hands & pull back, slowly undoing the tie of my dressing gown.

“I’ve got to stop letting the ghosts of my past stop me from being with you,” I reply. “I don't want what happened to me when I was younger cause a rift between us… to stop me from making love to the love of my life.”

“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” He replies. “What if we trigger another panic attack?”

“Then I’ll tell you & we can stop. I love you so much. I don't want my past to push you away.”

He cups my cheeks. “I’m not going to walk away from you,” He says. “But I also don't want to push you into this.”

“You're not,” I reply. “I want to do this, Jay.”

I grind my hips, rubbing my mound against his length & he groans. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me against him to stop me. He tilts his head up & I lean down to meet his lips.

He flips us, pressing his body against mine, trapping me to the bed as we kiss. He then kisses down my chest, & I slide my hands into his hair as he gets lower & lower. I bite my lip in anticipation as he approaches my sex, his lips just missing it.

“Jay,” I moan.

“Mmmm?”

“You know.”

He smirks. He slides his tongue through my folds, just enough to make my breath hitch. He pushes his tongue in deeper, & my hips rise. He places his hands on my hips & pushes them back down, holding me down as he continues to tease me. I dig my nails into his scalp, my hips pushing against his hands.

He flicks my clit & I whimper, suddenly thrown to the precipice of my climb to my high. He rubs it around with his tongue & I bite back a moan. He clamps his lips around my clit, & flicks it once.

“Oh, fuck!” I moan.

****

I flick her clit again & she screams, her whole body writhing as she falls apart. I release her clit, dropping to lap at her opening, her hips pushing against my hands & her legs trembling. She whimpers as I keep licking, working with her as she comes down.

She pulls me up, hands coming to rest on my cheeks & captures my lips, moaning as she tastes herself on my lips. I press myself against her & rock my hips, my length rubbing against her sex & we both moan.

“I need you,” She whispers.

“You do, do you?” I whisper back.

“Mmmhmmm.”

“What do you want?”

“I need you inside me, making love to me,” She says. “Maybe we’ll even create a baby.”

I push myself back, holding myself above her on my hands. “Are you sure?”

“I still want my future to be with you,” She says. “I’m not going to let the ghosts of my past stop me planning to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“I just…” I sigh.

“What?”

“I’m just worried that…” I sigh. “You're barely coping as is. What if your pregnancy hormones trigger more nightmares?”

She smiles. “Then we’ll get through it together,” She replies, pulling my head down & capturing my lips.

****

I lift my hips as he pushes his forward, his arms shaking slightly as he holds his upper half above me. He stills as he completely fills me, our eyes locked as I play with his hair. I slowly rock my hips & he groans.

“Fuck you,” he groans.

I smirk. “You better get to it then.”

He pulls almost all the way out of me & then thrusts hard, & I moan, arching my back & closing my eyes. He drops slowly onto me, our chests pressing together as his lips find mine & he rocks hard. I grip his back, nails digging into his skin as I wrap my legs tightly around his hips, pushing him in deeper & he growls into my mouth.

****

I flip us, smirking when she moans as she sinks down my length. I grip her hips, guiding her movements. She places her hands on my chest & bites her lip as she rocks her hips faster.

I can tell she's almost at her high, so I cup her cheek & pull her down, capturing her lips. She moans into my mouth when I thrust harder, her nails digging into my chest as she reaches her high. I grip her hips as she comes down, pushing them back as I thrust up, & she whimpers.

“Jay,” She pleads.

“Almost there,” I whisper.

Her whole body is shaking as I continue to thrust. She cries out, hitting her high again, just as mine hits. She collapses against me, her head resting on my shoulder as she comes down. I stop rocking my hips & let go of hers, splaying my hands on her back. I kiss her forehead.

****

She stirs, shifting closer as she sleeps, pressing her body against my side. I kiss her forehead & pull the covers higher. I slide my hand into her hair, cupping the back of her head, holding her in my arms. I may not be able to read her thoughts, but I know I’ll always be here for her. Whatever dark past she has, it’s shaped her into the strong woman I know. But the demons continue to tear her down. Even the strongest women fall apart, but I’ll be there to help her put it all back together.

****

**The next day…**

“So… what’s the point of going after that… thing?” I ask.

He turns to me, baffled, stares at me for a long minute. “ _What_?”

“I just… I don’t get it.”

He shakes his head, reaching for the remote & pauses the episode of _Doctor Who_.

“I know this show means a lot to you, I really do,” I say as he looks at me again. “But I just find it so confusing!”

He sighs. “You just need to give it some time,” he replies. “You’ll understand it soon enough.”

“Would be helpful if you helped me understand what’s going on,” I reply. “Then maybe I wouldn’t make you so huffy.”

“Because you’re questioning even the basic parts!”

I pout.

“Don’t,” he says, pointing a finger at me.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t even start with that look.”

“What look?”

“Paige.”

“Fine. Let’s just keep watching,” I reply. “I’m sure I’ll eventually understand this weird show.”

“It’s not weird,” He replies, turning to reach for the remote.

I snuggle up to his side as he presses play, his arm draping around me as the episode resumes. I manage to kinda follow it for five minutes, & then I get bored.

****

I’m watching the Doctor in a very dangerous situation when she starts kissing my jawline right below my ear- my weak spot- & I moan.

“What are you doing, Paige?” I ask.

“What does it look like?”

“Just watch the episode!”

“I’m _bored_!” She whines, lips brushing my skin.

I pause the episode again & turn to her. “You agreed to watch it.”

“I changed my mind.”

I tilt my head slightly, giving her a disapproving look.

“Okay, look,” She says. “I’ve given it my best, okay? I’ve watched & I’ve watched & I’ve watched. I think it’s time that we concede that I’m not going to ever be as enthralled as you are with _Doctor Who_. Not everyone likes every show out there. You like it, I respect that. But it’s just not my kind of show.”

I look at her for a minute. “At least just watch the end of this episode,” I reply. “There’s not much left.”

She straddles me, one hand coming to rest on the back of my head, the other slipping into my hair. “I have a much better use of our time.”

“Paige, please.”

“Only if you agree that we do my thing straight after.”

“Deal.”

She smirks, before leaning down & giving me a quick kiss. She gets off, settling down the way she was beside me. I kiss her head, before resuming the episode again.

A few minutes later, her hand slides over my bulge & I inhale sharply, my length hardening in my jeans.

“Paige,” I say, stern enough to warn her.

“Just getting you ready,” She whispers in my ear, before rubbing her hand over my bulge.

She starts undoing my jeans.

“Woah!” I reply, grabbing her wrists.

“Shhh,” She whispers. “Just let me do this.”

Her hand slips under the elastic band of my briefs, & I bite back a moan as her fingers brush my length. She slowly rubs my length & I can’t stop myself from tipping my head back.

****

Arms wrap around me & I smile as her body presses against my back.

“Tough day again, huh?” I ask.

“Does there have to be a reason for me hugging my sexy boyfriend?” She asks.

I smirk, chuckling a little before I turn around in her arms. I cup her cheeks as I lean down, pressing my lips to hers.

“Mmmm,” She says as I pull back, before she places her hand on the back of my head & pulls me back to her lips.

“We should stop,” I say, lips brushing hers.

“Why?”

“Because I want you,” I reply. “And we can’t keep making love in here.”

She pulls back as she pouts.

“Don’t,” I sigh.

“Maybe you should take me home, then.”

“Give me a little while,” I reply. “I need to get a few more cars done before I shut up for the night.”

“You’re a slave to this job, Tyler Brennan.”

“I don’t want to slack off,” I reply. “If I get these few done, I can have a slower day tomorrow.” I place my hands on her hips, slowly swaying her as I continue. “And a slow day means I can afford to take a few hours off first thing… where we can stay in bed.”

“Oh, you sly thing!”

I smirk. “So does that win you over having to wait right now?”

She thinks it over… & nods. I smile & tug her closer, capturing my lips with mine.

****

“Mum?” I call as I enter home, dumping my school bag near the door. I walk into the kitchen. “Mum?”

It’s empty, so is the backyard. I head back to the front door, smiling as Tyler waits in the doorway, leaning against the frame as he smirks. I head up the stairs, to the landing & listen for any signs that she’s upstairs in her room.

Satisfied we’re alone, I head back down the stairs. Tyler meets me at the bottom of the stairs, having shut the door in the process, & places his hands on my hips as I wrap my arms around his neck.

“So…” he says.

“We’re alone.”

He smirks. “So I can make you scream, then.”

I gape & he laughs. He pulls me closer, capturing my lips & I moan as he wraps his arms tightly around me. He lifts me up & I wrap my legs around his waist. He slowly climbs the stairs, our lips never parting.

****

She moans as I press her back against her closed bedroom door. I kiss along her jaw & down her neck, smirking against her skin as she moans as her head tilts back. I slide my hands between us & undo her shirt. I push the material aside & palm her breast.

“Oh, _fuck!_ ” She moans, her back arching, hips grinding against mine.

I pull her shirt off, letting it drop to the floor as I slide my hands up her back to her bra, swiftly unhooking it & pull it down her arms. I drop her bra as I push one breast up, capturing the nipple in my mouth.

****

I grind my hips against his as he plays with my breasts, pulling & licking my nipple as he kneads & squeezes the other. Then he swaps & I slide my hand into his hair.

“Tyler,” I moan.

“Mmmm?” He replies, the sound vibrating against my nipple.

“I need you to… OH!”

“You need me to what?” He asks, before flicking my nipple with his tongue.

“Lower,” I moan. “Go lower.”

“How low?”

“Much lower.”

He pulls back just far enough to look up at me & smirks. “I like it here.”

I grind my hips again, as hard as I can & he growls. He leans towards my nipple so I grind again. He lowers my legs so my feet touch the floor, & kisses down my stomach, his hands gripping my hips as he gets down on his knees. He undoes my skirt, letting it pool around my ankles as his fingers lightly brush over my undies. I whimper.

He pushes my legs further apart, & then kisses up my inner thigh from one knee to just shy of my undies & I bite my lip as he turns to do the same on the other thigh.

“Oh _fuuuck_!” I moan as his lips brush my undies.

He licks the material, & I whimper as my knees shake. He lifts my right leg, hooking it over his shoulder, before doing the same with my left leg. He hooks two fingers under the side of my undies & pushes them aside. He leans forward & lightly touches my folds with his tongue. I moan, tilting my head back.

****

I push my tongue deeper, smirking as she moans, her hips rising to meet my mouth. I press my mouth to her sex, forming a seal with my lips & push my tongue in as far as I can.

“Tyler!” She moans, her nails digging into my scalp.

I work her slowly, revelling in her moans as she builds to her high. I pull back, rising slightly & press my lips to her clit. I dart my tongue out between my barely parted lips & she moans. I use the distraction to push my fingers into her, smirking as she moans loudly. I pump slowly as I lick her clit, taking my time to make her hit her high.

She calls my name as she hits her high, her hips jerking as she rides it out, my lips never leaving her folds as she overcomes it. I nudge one of her legs off & she lowers the other one. I rise, smirking as she bites her lip as my movement pushes my fingers deeper into her. I pull them out, holding them up for her to lick. She slides them into her mouth, moaning as she licks her juices from them. I lean in, pulling my fingers out & capture her lips with mine. I moan & push her against the door, cupping her cheeks as I deepen our kiss.

****

“You’re overdressed, Ty,” I say against his lips.

“Mmmmm no.”

I push him back. I drop my hands to his hips, grab fistfuls of his shirt & pull it up. Together we shed it, & I drop it on the floor as he recaptures my lips. I undo his belt & jeans, pushing them & his briefs down as he pushes his tongue between my lips, deepening our kiss so our tongues dance. He lifts me up effortlessly & we both moan as his length brushes my folds.

“Ohhhh,” I moan as he pushes into me.

He stills when he’s all the way in, breaking our kiss only to rest his forehead against mine. He cups my cheek with one hand, his fingers sliding into my hair & I slide mine into his. He slowly rocks his hips & I bite back a moan.

****

I hold her head where it is, keeping our foreheads together as we make love, our breaths mingling. I rub my nose against hers lightly as she lets out little whimpers. She pulls my head closer, capturing my lips for a sloppy kiss. I push my body against hers, smirking as she moans.

“Ty,” She whimpers.

I push my hips harder, her scream as she orgasms swallowed by my mouth. I keep thrusting, working her through it, her nails digging into my skin as she rides the waves of pleasure. She breaks our kiss, turning her head to the side, desperate for air & I kiss along her jaw & down her throat.

****

I drop my head onto his shoulder & he steps back, turning & carries me over to my bed. He sits down on the edge, & I kneel while straddling him. He places his hands on my hips & I moan as he guides me up & down.

I tip my head back as I feel another high coming, my back arching too. His lips return to my breast & I ride him faster. It doesn’t take long for him to groan as his hits, the intensity throwing me over the edge.

****

I guide her up as we both come down, my hands sliding over her back as she comes up, my lips immediately capture hers as soon as she’s in reach. She moans, her hips rocking & I wrap my arms tighter around her.

“Don’t,” I say against her lips.

“I can’t help it,” She replies. “I love making love with you.”

I smile. “So do I.”

“So let’s keep going.”

“Pipes,” I groan.

“What? Don’t you want me?”

“I do.”

She grinds her hips & I groan. I fall back & she places her hands on my chest, balancing herself & slowly rides me again. I slide my hands up her arms, & pull her down. She gasps as she falls against me, my arms wrapping round her before I flip us.

“You’re a bad influence, Piper Willis,” I whisper.

She smirks. “You love me, Tyler Brennan.”

I smile, tucking a stray strand back off her face. “I do as much as you love me.”

“Prove it.”

I capture her lips for a hard kiss, rocking my hips & she moans. She wraps her legs around my waist, pulling me closer.

****

I arch my back, digging my nails into his back, feeling another high building.

“PIPER?” Mum calls.

Tyler stills. “Was that?”

“PIPER?”

He groans, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

“We should stop,” I say.

He sighs before pushing himself up. I moan as he pulls out of me, biting my lip as I see how hard he still is. A part of me wants to just pull him back down & keep going. We clean ourselves & quickly get dressed.

I head for the door & go to open it, his hand holding the door shut as his front presses against my back. He lowers his head, bringing this mouth to my right ear.

“This isn’t over,” He whispers. “I want to continue this later.”

I bite back a moan as I feel his erection, the need to have him make love to me rising once more as heat pools in my core.

“Maybe we could make up an excuse to go back to yours,” I reply.

He rocks his hips forward & I moan.

“Sounds like a good idea.”

****

“Hey,” Ned says, making me look up from my work.

“Hey,” I reply & smile as he settles on the bar stool on the other side of my table in _The Waterhole_. “What’s up?”

“I need some advice.”

“Yeah?”

He nods. “It’s about Pip & Elly.”

I give him a sympathetic smile. “They’re at odds.”

He raises an eyebrow. “How did…” He figures it out. “Tyler.”

I nod. “He mentioned that Piper’s upset about Elly’s treatment of her,” I reply. “She thinks Elly’s picking on her, & Tyler wanted my opinion on whether Elly would do that.”

“What did you tell him?”

“That as a friend, she’s lovely. But I can’t judge how things would be between them, because it’s a completely different environment.”

He presses his lips together tightly. “This is a big problem.”

“I’m going to assume Piper doesn’t know you’re dating Elly.”

He nods. “I haven’t had the chance to tell her,” He replies. “I’m worried about how she’ll take it. This feud is going to cloud her judgement.”

I watch him for a minute, & try but fail to hide a small smile. “You really love Elly, don’t you?”

He smiles. “I do.”

“Then you need to be honest with Piper,” I reply. “I know how much she means to you. Maybe her knowing how much you care about Elly will help bring them together.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Do you think it’s wise for me to do that?”

“Ned. We’re talking about the two most important women in your life right now. If you can’t figure out a way of getting them to get along, then your future with Elly is in serious trouble.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How will Ned deal with the Elly-Piper feud? How will Erin cope with the demons from her past? Will she ever be able to move on? Meanwhile, a new love is starting & Piper faces a bigger problem than her feud.


	84. Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ned faces a hard choice- get his sister & girlfriend to get along, or choose which one to stop having a relationship with. Meanwhile, Erin struggles to move on from her past & buried herself in playing matchmaker for Aaron. Will she succeed in it? Piper's fued with Elly isn't the only problem she has to face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's been 2 months since I updated (whoops!). But there has been a lot of stress in my personal life over that period, & finding the time to finish such a long chapter was like asking to find a needle in a haystack. Impossible. But it's here now. So enjoy.

“ _What?!_ ” Piper says, leaping to her feet from the couch at hers where we were sitting. “Please tell me this is some twisted joke?”  
“Pip-”  
“Unless it's to say that you're joking, save it,” She replies. “Do you know she goes out of her way to make my life _hell_?”  
“I think you're reading into it too much, Pipsqueak.”  
“Am I?” She asks. “She finds ways to put me into detention, she's marking me unfairly so I’m getting bad marks, so Mum & Dad are all up my case about that. And now I find out that she's dating _you_!”  
“Pipes.”  
“ _What?_ ” She snaps.  
“Firstly, calm down,” I reply as I get up & extend my hands towards her.  
“I'm not going to calm down, Ned!” She replies. “You're dating the _last_ person that you should be dating!”  
I hesitate, struggling to keep my emotions buried. “Yeah, well… The woman I want isn't interested,” I reply. “And I have the chance to make something with Elly.”  
“And the fact that she hates me?”  
“Is all in your head, Pipsqueak.”  
“But why _her_?” She asks. “Why not Madison?”  
I flashback to the time I almost went there with Madison… Until I kept seeing Erin instead.  
I swallow hard. “She's too much like her.”  
“Oh, grow up,” She replies. “You can say Erin, you know.”  
I raise my eyebrows. “ _I’m_ immature?” I reply. “Says the girl who is chucking a tantrum after I tell her that I’ve finally found someone who wants me. Who isn't trying to use me to escape her feelings for someone else.”  
“You could have that with _anyone_ , & I would be happy for you, Ned.”  
“So why can't you now?”  
“Because it's _Elly_!”  
“Honestly, Pippy…” I sigh.  
“She has it out for me, Ned,” She replies. “Why am I the _only_ one that sees it?”  
“Maybe it's the fact you threw a drink on her when you met?” I reply. “Or maybe it's about you calling her what? A ‘skanky hoe’?”  
Her eyes fill with tears, & I know I’ve overstepped the line.  
“Pip,” I sigh.  
“I only called her that in a fit of anger,” She replies. “She had her hands all over my boyfriend. You're the _last_ person to judge someone's actions when they're filled with jealousy. After all, you sent a group of thugs to nearly kill a guy.”  
“ _Piper_!”  
“ _What_?” She snaps. “Urgh! You know what? Fine, you can be with her. And that wasn't me being happy for you. I’m still against it. But thanks for being yet _another_ member of this family who dismisses my feelings.”  
She turns & heads for the stairs.  
“Pippy,” I sigh, turning to her.  
She stops part way up the stairs, leaning on the railing as she looks at me. “Why don't you go ask that girlfriend of yours why she's being so harsh on me?” She says, before storming up the stairs.  
I hear her bedroom door slam. I sigh, running my hand over my face.  
****  
“Hey,” he says, answering my call.  
“Hey, so get this,” I reply. “My brother is dating my nemesis.”  
“Wait… What?”  
I sigh, flopping back onto my bed. “You heard me, Ty.”  
“Alright,” he says. “So?”  
“ _So_?” I reply. “My brother is sleeping with the one woman making my life a living hell! Argh! Why can't he be with someone like Madison or your sister?”  
“You can't help who you love, Pipes,” he replies. “Just look at us.”  
I sigh. “Can you come over?”  
“Why?”  
“I just want to curl up in your arms & forget the fact that my big brother is betraying me.”  
Silence.  
“Ty?”  
“Alright,” he sighs. “I’ll be there soon.”  
****  
The front door opens & she throws her arms around my neck, pulling me in for a kiss. I wrap my arms around her.  
“Well, hi,” I say, smiling as I rest my forehead on hers.  
She steps back, pulling me inside & pushes the front door shut with her foot. She pushes me against the wall at the base of the stairs & reaches up to claim my lips, but I push her back.  
“What are you doing?” I ask.  
“I want you,” She replies, leaning in to kiss me.  
I push her back again. “What happened to curling up in my arms?”  
She smirks. “Later.”  
She slips her hand behind my head, pushing it forward to meet her lips. She rolls onto her toes, pushing her chest against mine & I moan as I wrap my arms around her.  
I push her back. “We should take this upstairs.”  
“Mum's not coming home till very late,” She replies. “So we can do it _riiiight_ here.”  
She cups my length, her fingers rubbing over my jeans & I bite back a moan. I look at her & she smirks. I cup her face in my hands, pulling her roughly into me, crashing her lips against mine. I drop my hands, wrapping my arms around her again as I bend my knees, lifting her up. I turn around as she wraps her legs around my waist, her arms around my neck before I push her back against the wall. She moans into my mouth as I press my chest against hers, gripping her hips tightly.  
She grinds her hips, rubbing herself against my length & I moan. She smirks into our kiss, tightening her limbs around me.  
“Fuck me, Ty,” She whispers against my lips.  
“No,” I whisper back.  
“No?”  
“I’m going to make love to you.”  
She smiles, before reaching down & undoing my belt. She undoes my jeans, pushing them & my boxers down to pool around my ankles. I reach down, pushing her skirt up & rub her undies. She moans as I knead the heel of my hand over clit, & grinds her hips, breathing heavily as she gets more aroused.  
“Tell me what you want,” I say.  
“You,” she replies. “Deep in me.”  
“As you wish,” I reply, hooking my fingers under the side of her undies.  
I push them aside just far enough so I can push my fingers inside her. She moans.  
“Not that,” She moans.  
“No?” I ask, pushing my fingers in deeper.  
“Noooo,” She moans. She reaches down, wrapping her hands around my length. “This.”  
I pull my fingers out, using them to hold her undies aside & push my hips forward. I let her hold my length steady as I push inside her slowly. She moans, her head tilting back.  
“Ohhhhh yes!” She moans.  
I smile, lifting my hand up & brushing my wet fingers over her lips.  
She moans, before sliding my fingers into her mouth to suck them clean. I then kiss her, moaning as I can taste her sex. I push my hips back & thrust slowly, both of us moaning as her walls resist.  
****  
I dig my nails into the base of the back of his neck as I climax, my walls clenching around his length. He groans as his hits, sucking my neck as he comes down.  
“How was that?” He asks.  
“So good,” I whisper. “And the best way to forget what Ned told me.”  
He lifts his head, looking at me as he frowns. “What did he tell you?”  
I smile, shaking my head as I try not to laugh. He smiles, lifting his hands to cup my cheeks, guiding my face so he can capture my lips with his.  
****  
His arms wrap around my waist & his chest presses against my back as I stand in the kitchen chopping up fruit. I smile as he rests his chin on my right shoulder.  
“Waking up to you not being there worries me,” He says. “Especially when you freak out like you did yesterday. I’m worried that one day I’m going to wake up & you're not going to be there ever again.”  
“I know, I’m sorry,” I reply. “I’m not going to run away. Not anymore.” I stop cutting up fruit & turn my head, resting my face against his, side on to his. “I don't want to lose you again.”  
“I’m not going anywhere.”  
“I never knew I would need anyone as much as I need you,” I say. “But knowing that I can lean on you… that I don't have to face things alone…” I smile. “It's what I want. Someone to support me when it gets too much. Someone who understands that my past weighs heavy on me but still wants me.”  
“That's what love is,” He replies. “Seeing the good & the bad & accepting all of it. And I admire your strength. I love you for the woman that you are, not the bad things others have done to you.” He kisses my cheek. “I love you.”  
I smile, leaning back against him as I place my hands over his. “I love you too.”  
He kisses my cheek again. “Why are you up?”  
“Felicity was fussing & so I got up to look after her.”  
“And instead of coming back to me, you… are chopping fruit?”  
“I thought we could have breakfast in bed.”  
“I can think of a better use of our time in bed,” He says, pushing the bottom of his shirt that I’m wearing up as he kisses my neck.  
I smile, biting my lip as his fingers brush the front of my hip. “We can do both.”  
“If we weren’t sharing this house with your brothers, I would so take you right here,” He whispers, before lightly biting my earlobe, my breath catching in my throat. “I want to worship you the way you deserve to be.”  
I tilt my head back against his shoulder as his hand slips down between my legs & cups my sex, rubbing me slowly through my panties.  
“Let me finish getting this organised, & then we’ll take it to our bed.”  
“Or I could lift you into my arms & take you there right now,” He whispers, lips brushing my neck, leaving a trail of goosebumps behind.  
“Just a few more minutes,” I say. “You do know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”  
“And what if I want you for breakfast?” He whispers into my ear, his hand rubbing my clit & I bite back a moan.  
“You can have both,” I reply. “Because you’re gonna need it after-”  
He turns me by my chin, capturing my lips & cutting me off, pushing us forward so I’m pinned between him & the bench. His left hand slips under his shirt & squeezes my breast, making me moan.  
“We should stop,” I whisper against his lips.  
“I don’t wanna,” He whispers back. “I don’t want to let go of you. Ever.”  
“We’re not alone, remember.”  
He sighs as he pulls back. “You’re right,” he says. “I’m going to go back to bed,” he adds, picking up a piece of fruit. He lifts his eyes, locking with mine & heat pools in my core as I see how dark they are. “Don’t keep me waiting too long.”  
He pops the piece in his mouth, chewing as he turns around. I watch him head towards our bedroom, carefully watching his naked back as he leaves. Once he’s out of sight, I exhale a breath I didn’t even know I was holding.  
****  
“Pip!” I hear him say behind me & I sigh as I quickly pay for my takeaway coffee.  
I turn around to go, hoping to evade him, but he steps in front of me. I glare at him.  
“Can we talk?” He asks.  
“I have school to get to.”  
“It’ll only take a few minutes,” He replies. “And I’ll even drive you so you won’t be late.”  
“Why would I want to be stuck in your car with you?”  
“Pippy,” He sighs. “I don’t want you angry with me.”  
“Well, there’s one way you can stop me being this angry at you.”  
“And I told you that’s not going to happen.”  
“Then this conversation is over.”  
I step around him, but he takes hold of my arm & I turn back to him with an annoyed sigh.  
“You are one of the most important women in my life,” He says. “And there’s nothing I want more than for you to get along with the other most important woman in my life.”  
“I do,” I reply. “She’s my boyfriend’s sister.”  
He winces. “You can be really stubborn, you know that?”  
“Yep,” I reply, twisting my arm out of his grip.  
“Piper!” He says as I head for the door.  
I pull it open & head outside, walking quickly across the complex. He cuts me off outside _Lassiters_ , holding his arm out to block me when I try to get past him.  
“Look, I dunno what’s going on between you two that’s causing this feud, but if you would just stop being so angry & accept my help, we can sort this out. Because I want you two to get along. I want you both in my life. And that’s not going to happen if you can’t be mature enough to give this a go.”  
“And what if I don’t?”  
“I love you, Pippy,” He says. “But I also love Elly.” I sigh. “I know you hate her, but I can’t help that I love her. And after everything that has happened with the last three women I have felt this way with, I don’t want to give up so easily. I don’t want to walk away from this. So can you _please_ set aside your issues with her  & give me the chance to work things out between you two?”  
I shake my head. “I dunno.”  
He places his hands on my arms. “You want me to be happy, right?”  
I tilt my head. “Don’t emotionally blackmail me.”  
He smirks a little. “Just like you are?”  
I sigh & roll my eyes. “Can I think about it?”  
He smiles as he nods. “Sure,” He says. “Now… can I give you a lift to school, or are you too huffy to accept a lift from your big brother?”  
“Only cause you’ve made me late.”  
He kisses my forehead.  
****  
“Hey, babe-” I say, stepping into our bedroom. “ _Oof!_ ” I add as a pillow smacks into my face.  
It drops, revealing she's kneeling on our bed, wearing one of my T-shirts, bunched up at her waist that exposes her thighs. She's smirking at me as she grips another pillow.  
“What are you doing?” I ask.  
“What does it look like?” She replies, smirking.  
“Don't.”  
She raises her eyebrow. “Don't what?”  
“Don't you dare throw that at me.”  
She pouts. “I won't.”  
“Paige,” I sigh.  
“Pick that one up.”  
“Why?”  
“What do you think?”  
I tilt my head.  
****  
“I want a pillow fight,” I say.  
He frowns. “What?”  
“Oh, please tell me that you know what it is!”  
“Of _course_ I do,” He says. “I just wanna know why. It seems really… childish.”  
“Live a little, Mark,” I reply, shifting forward. “Have some fun.”  
“I have fun.”  
“Really?” I raise my eyebrow.  
“Yes, _really_ ,” He replies, leaning closer.  
“Prove it.”  
“No.”  
“Yes.”  
“No.”  
He kisses me & I use it as a distraction to swing the pillow & hit him. He flinches as he leans to his right, & looks at me shocked.  
“You're going to pay for that.”  
“Bring it on.”  
“You're going down, Mrs Brennan.”  
I smirk. “Only on you, Mr Brennan.”  
His eyes darken & my breath catches as I wonder if he's going to completely bypass the pillow fight. He picks up the pillow I threw before & swings it at me. I swing mine to block.  
****  
She looks so damn sexy, lying there in my shirt, hair partially over her face, cheeks flushed from our fight, a big grin on her face.  
“Time for your reward for winning,” I say as I shift back.  
“What reward?” She asks.  
I push my shirt up her, spread her legs slightly as I lean down & lick her panties, making her gasp. She lifts her hips off our bed as I lick her through the material, making her so wet. I push her panties aside, holding them there as I rub my other fingers through her folds, watching as she bites her lip. I push three fingers inside her, her head tilting back as she moans & I slowly move my fingers in & out.  
“Lick my clit,” She moans. “I wanna cum all over your fingers.”  
“And what if I wanna go slow?”  
“It’s my reward, remember.”  
I smirk & pump my fingers faster. I wiggle the tip of my tongue over her clit & she moans, her hips bucking.  
****  
I slide my hands into his hair, digging my nails into his scalp as he continues his movements. I push my feet into our bedsheets, forcing my hips higher, trying to push my orgasm. I whimper as he pumps faster, forcing his fingers in deeper & I feel them press against my g-spot. He sucks on my clit, flicking it with his tongue & I let out a long moan as I fall over the edge, my whole body shaking as wave after wave of pleasure shoots through me.  
I’m panting as he crawls up, capturing my lips as he presses his body against mine. He rubs his hips against mine, rubbing his boxer clad length against my sex so hard I moan as I feel myself almost climaxing again.  
****  
I slip my arms around her & flip us, sliding my hands under my shirt & pull it off her. I toss it aside as I push one of her breasts up, bringing the nipple into my mouth & she moans. She grinds her hips & I moan. I let her sit up, her hands sliding over my chest. She lifts her hips up & pushes my boxers down as far as she can. I kick them off one leg at a time, groaning as she wraps her hand around my length, giving it a few pumps.  
“Take yours off,” I growl.  
She stands up, letting go of my length & I watch as she takes her panties off, biting back a moan as I see how wet her sex is. She kneels back down, takes hold of my length & slowly lowers herself onto it. Both of us moan as she sinks all the way down. She grinds her hips, rotating them in a circular pattern & I groan as her walls massage my length. She moves her hips fast, never lifting her hips from mine as she nails dig into my chest. I can tell she’s almost at the edge, & I know when she falls, I will too. I reach up & grab her breasts, squeezing them hard.  
“Fuuuuuuck!” She screams, falling over the edge.  
I groan as I fall over the edge too, & she collapses onto me as we both come down.  
****  
I walk into _The Waterhole_ , heading for the bar as I search the room for her. She’d texted, saying she wanted me to meet her here & I agreed. I spot her sitting at the table at the far end of the bar, near the dart board, & deep in conversation with a young, handsome man in a suit.  
“Hey,” I say as I step up.  
Both look at me & she smiles as she gets to her feet.  
“Az!” She exclaims, throwing her arms around me.  
“You asked me to be here, remember?” I reply, hugging her back. “Or have you forgotten the text?”  
She pulls back as she shakes her head. “Nope. Just really happy to see my gorgeous brother,” She replies, placing her hands on my cheeks.  
“Okay,” I reply, slightly confused. “If this is a bad time, I can come back.”  
“What?” She asks, confused. She realises I mean her companion. “Ohhh, no. Don’t be silly! Sit.”  
She ushers me towards the seat directly opposite her friend & we both sit down.  
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” He says. “Erin speaks highly of all three of her brothers.”  
I smile. “I wish I could return the compliment, but… who are you?”  
“I thought Erin would have told you already,” He replies, looking at Erin.  
“I may have not told him why I wanted him here,” She replies.  
“Erin,” He says, sighing.  
“Hey, he probably wouldn’t have shown if he knew the whole story!”  
“Well, how about you fess up now that I am here,” I say. “Catch me up to speed, so I’m not confused.”  
“Hi,” He says, extending his hand out to me. “I’m Cameron Doyle.”  
“Hi Cameron,” I reply, taking his hand & shaking it. “Cameron… as in… the one with the hotel in the city?”  
He smiles slightly. “I am just the manager there,” He replies. “But yes, I’m that Cameron.”  
“Ah.”  
“I thought it’s about time that you two meet.”  
“Why? Because we’re both gay?” I ask.  
She nervously swallows. “That’s… partly why.”  
“How about I order us a round of drinks?” Cameron says. “That way, you two can have the opportunity to have your little sibling squabble & then we can get to know each other a bit better.”  
****  
I watch Cameron head off to the bar & turn back to see Aaron staring at me.  
“What? You’re a nice guy, he’s a nice guy,” I say. “I thought it wouldn’t kill anyone to get you two to meet. He was there for me when I had no one else.”  
“Answer me this,” He says, leaning in slightly. “If he wasn’t batting for my team, would you two have… you know?”  
“I don’t know,” I reply. “He’s a lot nicer than a lot of the idiots I’ve dated. Jay obviously not included in that.”  
“Right,” He says, leaning back.  
“Look, alright, I’m sorry for not saying in the text this is why I wanted you down here, but… I knew that there was a chance you wouldn’t want to come if you knew. I know you don’t really like being set up, but at least stick around & get to know him. If there’s not a spark between you, maybe there’s a chance for you two to be friends.”  
He looks over to Cameron & sighs. “He is cute.”  
“Totally hot,” I reply. “And I think it would be cute if my brother & best mate got it on.”  
He scrunches up his nose. “When you put it like that…”  
I cringe. “Oh god, I’m sorry.”  
“Here we go,” Cameron says, stepping up to our table & places two beers & a red wine down.  
“Thanks, Cam,” I say as he sits down.  
“Yeah, thanks,” Aaron adds.  
“You’re both welcome.”  
****  
After a while of chatting, we’d moved over to the pool table, taking turns playing each other as we talk. He’s a really great guy, & I really like him. Whether there’s the potential for us to be in a relationship… I’m not sure at this point. But I do know that I like spending time with him.  
“You should totally come & check the hotel out,” He says, aiming up a shot. “I know your brother & his wife enjoyed their stay a few months ago. My team & I have worked so hard making the hotel the very best that we can.” He takes the shot, the ball just falling short of the hole. He shakes his head as he straightens. He looks at Erin & I. “And given Erin’s past, the least I can do is give you all the chance to relax in one of the city’s most stylish hotels.”  
I frown. “So you know what happened to Erin?”  
I catch Erin in the corner of my eye as she tenses up.  
He nods. “Yeah,” He replies. “Her ex ditched her when she told him she was pregnant. I mean, who the hell does that? Uses a baby as an excuse to dump her?”  
“He didn’t want kids,” Erin replies. “Besides, the relationship was already sinking at that point.”  
“He’s still a jerk,” Cameron replies, crossing to our table & picking up his beer.  
“So… are you trying to wine & dine us at your hotel?” I ask.  
He raises his eyebrow. “Only if you want it to be,” He replies, before taking a sip of his beer. “Do you have a problem with me being generous to your family?”  
“Only when I’m not sure about your intentions.”  
Cameron puts his beer down & steps closer to me. “I’m your sister’s friend. We both helped each other through a tough few years. And I regret losing contact with her for as long as I did. My family weren’t ever supportive of my sexuality, so I don’t have anyone to spoil, to share the benefits of my job with. And I love Erin. Like a sister & my best friend. So yeah, I wanna treat her the way she deserves. And I want her family to be a part of it too. If you don’t like it, then I won’t be offended if you turn down my offer to spend a few nights at my hotel. But I would love you to accept.”  
“Cameron, excuse us for a moment,” Erin replies, stepping between us.  
“Of course,” He replies.  
Erin grabs my arm & pulls me away, out of his earshot. She turns to me & hits my chest.  
“What the _hell?!_ ” She says.  
“What?” I reply.  
“Why are you being so mean to him?”  
“I’m not!”  
“Uh… yeah.”  
“I just don’t really like him.”  
She narrows her eyes. And then widens them as she gapes. “Oh my god! You _like_ him!”  
“What? _Noooo_.”  
She purses her lips as she tilts her head. “It’s the only way to explain why you’re suddenly being an idiot towards him!” She says. “You were getting along & then suddenly you’re all protective, & asking him all these questions. If he wasn’t gay, I’d go as far as accusing you of being a protective older brother trying to warn him off me.”  
“Erin, you have it wrong.”  
“Okay, so explain to me what’s happened to suddenly make you act like a jerk to him?” She asks, crossing her arms.  
I sigh. “I don’t know.”  
“So tell me what’s going on in your mind.”  
“Only if you tell me why you hate our parents.”  
“That’s a box too complicated to open right now,” She replies. “And don’t deflect the attention from you, Aaron.”  
“He comes across as a smug guy, throwing his wealth around to try & manipulate us,” I reply. “I’ve been around someone like that. He used his wealth to buy me off, to buy me stuff to keep me on his side- to talk me into doing stuff.”  
“Cameron’s not like that,” She replies. “Remember how happy Mark & Paige were when they had that trip to Cam’s hotel? Cam’s just trying to be nice to us. So can you _please_ drop the attitude  & just be a little more open-minded. I’m sorry that you had that idiot, but Cam’s nothing like that. He built up his career, built up the wealth that he has. And if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here right now, okay? He got me through the months when I wanted to give it all up, when I was willing to end my life just to escape things.”  
I look at her, shocked by her admission. “What?”  
She nervously licks her lips. “After Zack left me, & I was facing raising Felicity all on my own. After Mum turned me away… I wanted to end my life. I hated my life, & things were pretty bleak. And bringing a child into that world just wasn’t a good idea. I wanted out, & was right at the stage of making that happen… but Cameron? Cameron was there. He saw the signs. He knew I wasn’t in a good place, & he went out of his way to put the broken pieces back together. He found a way of showing me that no matter how dark it got, things would be light again.”  
“I’m sorry, Erin,” I say, rubbing her arm.  
“If you give him a chance, I think you two would make a great couple.”  
“And there it is. Your hidden agenda.”  
“I want you to be happy. I also want Cam to be happy. If that ends up being together… so be it,” She replies. “Just try not to be a jerk in the process.”  
“Hey, I’m allowed to be wary.”  
“You don’t have to be wary of Cameron.”  
****  
Aaron took my advice & I smile as I see him & Cameron getting along again. There’s some major chemistry going on between them as they play pool. It’s almost a date… if I wasn’t here…  
“Well,” I say, sliding off the stool & crossing to them. “I’ve got to go get my little girl.”  
“You should bring her back here,” Cameron replies. “I’d love to see her.”  
I smile. “Another day,” I reply. “I think I’ve crashed this date long enough.”  
“It’s not a date,” Aaron replies.  
“Isn’t it?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “You two look like a couple right now.”  
Aaron half chokes on his beer. Cameron smiles.  
“Alright, I’ll hang out with you & your darling bub another day,” Cameron says. He steps closer & pulls me into a hug. “Thank you for this afternoon.”  
“You’re welcome,” I reply as I hug him back.  
****  
I watch as they kiss each other’s cheek, before Erin looks at me.  
“I’ll see you at home tonight,” She says, before smirking. “Or tomorrow.”  
“Paige is rubbing off on you,” I reply.  
She just smirks as she shrugs, waving bye to Cameron as she pivots on one foot & grabs her handbag before walking out. I watch her leave, rolling my eyes at her.  
“So,” Cameron says, pulling my focus. “What do you want to do now?”  
I shrug. “Continue playing? I don’t mind if you have anything else you want to do.”  
He smirks, his eyes slowly dragging over me. “That’s a rather loaded question, Aaron.”  
I nervously swallow, the image of him pressing his body against mine as we kiss throwing me off guard.  
“Normally I don’t like it when guys are rude to me the way you have been to me, but… I dunno why, but it’s such a turn on.”  
“So?”  
He steps closer to me, our faces close enough for us to kiss. “I want to kiss you so bad right now.”  
“So why don’t you?”  
He smiles. “Because I want you to want it as much as I do.”  
“How do you know that I don’t?”  
“I can tell that you’re not ready to go there,” He says. “Not quite yet.”  
“O-okay.”  
He fixes my tie. “In the meantime,” He replies. “Why don’t we get to know each other a little better? Let me show you that you can trust me. Others call it a date.”  
“You-you want to date me?” I ask. “Even after I was acting like a jerk?”  
He smiles. “Like I said,” He replies. “I don’t normally go for that. But you’ve been nice, other than the attitude in regard to my offer about having you all at my hotel. And I feel a strong pull towards you. Something… curious. I want to explore it more.” His eyes drop to my lips for a long moment, before slowly rising to meet mine. “Only if you want to too.”  
I swallow, the need to kiss him overwhelming. “I do.”  
“Good,” He replies. “Give me your phone.”  
I hand it over. He puts his number into it & hands it back. “Let me know when you’re free.”  
I nod slowly. He smiles.  
****  
I sigh as I stare at myself in the mirror in the Kennedy’s bathroom. As if dealing with my brother dating my nemesis wasn't enough, school made my life even more of a hell. My History teacher handed out an assignment today- which normally I would be okay with, had it not come with the unnecessary need for us to not only work in pairs but also not have the freedom to pick our partner. Surely year 12 is old enough for us to have that freedom? I got the last person in my class I ever want to be stuck with- _Angus_. So now I’m here, at the Kennedy's, stuck working on this assignment with the creepiest kid at school. I’ve never wanted Susan to come home as much as I want her to right now. _Maybe I could talk to her, explain the situation & get her help on doing this assignment on my own?_  
I’m coming back from the bathroom when Angus meets me at the end of the hallway back into the living area. Creeped out by the way he’s looking at me, I take a step back. But he follows & before I know it, he has me backed against the wall. He steps into my personal space, his chest way too close to mine for comfort.  
“What are you doing?”  
“What does it look like?” He replies, placing his hands on my hips.  
He leans in to kiss me & I push him back. “I have a boyfriend.”  
“Who is older & will ditch you for someone his age soon enough,” He replies. “So why don’t you just admit that you want to be with me instead of that loser.”  
“Tyler’s not a loser & I’m _definitely_ not interested in you,” I reply. “In fact, the only reason why I’m even here is because of this assignment  & the fact that we have to do it together. So just leave me alone.”  
“Oh, come on, Piper,” He replies. “Enough with the ‘hard to get’ act. I know you want me.”  
“No I don’t. I _loathe_ you.”  
He smirks. “It’s just an act. Because you’re with Tyler, & you feel like you should be loyal to him. Well, we’re alone, we have the house to ourselves. So why don’t you dump the act & let’s give in to our feelings.”  
“Back off, Angus, or I’m going to kick you where it will hurt a lot.”  
“I like it when you’re feisty,” He replies, leaning in & kissing me.  
I struggle to push him away, but he only pushes himself on me, pinning me to the wall. His right hand slips down, pushing my school skirt up & his fingers brush over my panties. I dig my fingers into his shoulder, scraping over an artery & it’s enough to force him to pull back as he cries out in pain. I push him away further & rush into the living area. I quickly grab my belongings, shoving them into my schoolbag & turn for the door.  
“Piper,” He says, stepping in front of me, cutting me off from the door.  
I swing my bag at him, using its weight to knock him sideways & I pull it with me as I make a run to the door. I force the door & security door open, putting my bag on as I hurry down the front steps & path. Tears streaming down my face, I run across the road, ignoring my surroundings, so focused on making it home & to the safety of my bedroom, I don’t even see him until I crash into him at the bottom of my driveway. He grabs my arms for support, to prevent me from toppling over & I freak out, struggling to get away from him.  
“Piper!” He exclaims & I realise who it is.  
I sigh, relieved & throw my arms around him, burying my face into his chest as I cry. He wraps his arms around me, resting his head on top of mine as he soothingly rubs my back. He holds me like that until I calm down, & then he pushes me back enough to look me in the eyes.  
“What’s going on? What’s made you upset?”  
I shake my head.  
“Pipes,” He says. “I saw you coming out of the Kennedy’s in a rush. Tell me what’s going on.”  
“It’s nothing.”  
“It’s not nothing.”  
“Can you just take me back to yours? I just wanna curl up with you.”  
He nervously licks his lip & swallows hard. “I’m worried. You’re scared & upset. It’s just like… Erin.”  
“All I want right now, Ty, is to just forget about it. I just want to be with you, okay? I don’t want to be alone tonight.”  
He nods. “Alright. But you should text your mum when we get into mine & let her know where you are. I know she freaks out if you don’t come home, especially on a school night.”  
I nod. “I will. I promise.”  
He nods before pressing his lips to mine. “You know what? How about we head to the complex & have dinner. My treat.”  
I nod. “Love it.”  
He kisses my forehead before wrapping his arm around my shoulder. I let out a sigh as we turn & head down the street. _I can’t believe what just happened._  
****  
I wake early the next morning, smiling as I see he’s still asleep. I roll over onto my stomach, pressing myself against his side & drape my right leg over his legs. I place my hands on his bare chest & rest my chin on top. I watch him sleeping for a while. I smile- _I’m so lucky to have you. To have you so willing to see past all my scars, all the pain & all the psychological damage from my childhood & still love me. Broken me. Undeserving of the love & happiness you give. How did I manage to find you_?  
I reach up & cup his cheek. He stirs slightly, turning into my hand & I smile. I push myself up a little, brush back the little bit of hair dangling over his eye. I then place my hand on his chest, right over his heart & rest my head on his chest, smiling as his head rolls sideways, his nose pushing into my hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Will Piper & Elly get along? Will Aaron give in to his feelings for Cameron? What will Piper do now that Angus tried to force himself on her? And can Erin move on from the demons of her past & be happy with Jay?


	85. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Piper's hiding what happened from Tyler, who gets worried about it.

I look across at him as he takes a sip of his coffee & smile. I’d managed to get some sleep last night, curled up in his arms. A few times I’d woken from nightmares, but having him lying there beside me reassured me that I’m okay, that I’m safe. This morning, he talked me into having breakfast here at _Harold’s_ & I’m glad he did. It gives me some time with him before school.  
He sees me watching him & puts down his cup. He pulls a face, foam covering his upper lip all the way to his nose & I laugh. He grins as he grabs a napkin & wipes it clean.  
The door into the café opens & I stop laughing as I see him. I stare at him in shock. He sees me & falters. He sees Tyler & then scurries over to the counter as I watch him.  
“Everything okay?” Tyler asks, pulling my attention back to him.  
“Huh? Uh, yeah,” I reply. “Can we… can we go?”  
He frowns. “What's going on?”  
“I want you to walk me to school.”  
His eyes shift to Angus. I glance over my shoulder to him.  
“Has he done something?” Tyler asks. “Is that why you fled the Kennedy’s last night?”  
“No,” I reply, reaching for my schoolbag on the floor. “Can we go or are you going to grill me?”  
He hesitates & I know he's considering asking me more.  
****  
I nod. “Sure.”  
I take another sip of my coffee as she gets up & puts her bag over one shoulder. I get off the bench seat & gesture for her to go for the door. She opens the door & I take it from her as I look over at Angus. He's settling at a table across the room, his eyes locked with mine. He diverts his gaze, ashamed of… something. I frown. My gut screams for me to go over & ask him what's going on, but I know Piper’s waiting. So I turn & head outside.  
“You took your time,” She says as I step over to her.  
“Are you sure everything's okay with you & Angus?”  
“There's nothing for you to get all huffy, protective boyfriend over, if that's what you're looking for.”  
I shake my head. “I’m not,” I reply. “I just want to know why you two are giving each other awkward looks & you basically bolting when he got there.”  
She slips her hand into mine. “I just want to have time for you to walk me to school. Is that really such a bad thing?”  
I sigh. “You’d tell me if he did anything to upset you?”  
She nods. “Of course.”  
I nod. She rolls onto her tiptoes & kisses me. She then drags me away from the complex.  
****  
Paige & I walk up the garage’s forecourt, hearing music coming from inside. We step inside, finding Tyler under the engine of a car. I place my finger to my mouth & Paige nods. I carefully walk over to him & lightly kick his leg.  
“OI!” He shouts, pushing himself out.  
He sees us both laughing at him & he looks unimpressed as he gets to his feet.  
“You summoned us,” I say as Paige steps up beside me.  
He nods as he cleans his hands on a rag. “I’m worried about Piper.”  
“What's going on?” Paige asks.  
“Well… apart from her feud with Elly,” He says. “She was studying at the Kennedy’s last night. She has some assignment with Angus, so they were studying. I saw her leaving last night.” He nervously licks his lip. “She was practically running. She actually bumped into me & freaked out, didn't know it was me straight away. Something upset her & she refuses to tell me.” He sighs. “She doesn't know, but… I caught her waking up a few times last night. She's having nightmares.”  
“What about this morning?” I ask. “Was she okay?”  
“Yes, but… no,” He replies. “She seemed happy when we were having breakfast at _Harold’s_ , but…” He hesitates & I can see how worried he is.  
“Tell us, Ty,” I reply, rubbing his arm.  
He hesitates. “I could be wrong about all of this, but…” He sighs. “Angus walked in & suddenly things got awkward. Both of them seemed scared… Angus was awkward. He took one look at me & made a hasty beeline to the counter.”  
“Yeah, cause the little creep has a crush on her & he took one look at you & knew not to linger,” Paige replies.  
He shakes his head. “It's more than that.”  
“Go on,” I reply.  
“Piper wanted to leave right after he arrived,” He replies. “Brushed it off as just her wanting me to walk her to school, but…” He sighs. “I looked over at Angus as we were leaving. He looked at me, & then diverted his eyes. Like there's something that happened last night & neither of them wants to tell me. I want to believe her when she says he hasn't done anything, but… I can't shake this feeling.”  
“Well,” Paige says. “Piper wouldn't lie. But… if you're really worried, we could talk to her? Maybe she’ll feel more comfortable about telling us.”  
He raises an eyebrow.  
“There's some things a young woman feels more comfortable talking about with a sister than her boyfriend,” I reply. “Don't take it personally. Every now & then we all need a woman to woman talk.”  
Paige nods. Tyler sighs.  
“Okay, yeah,” He says. “If you think she will… talk to her.”  
Paige & I nod.  
“I would suggest we do it now, given she’ll be out of school about now,” Paige says. “But I’ve got a shift at _Harold's_ to get to.”  
****  
I walk with Paige to the complex. Just as we approach _Harold's_ , I spot Piper sitting by the lake.  
“You should go talk to her,” Paige says as we stop. “I know we said we’d do it together, but… you seem to get through to her like no one else. You helped her when Mavi returned. Maybe you’ll be able to find out what's going on now.”  
I nod. “It's worth a try.”  
She nods. “And if he has done something, I want you to let me know straight away,” She replies. “You & me will go give him a mouthful for it. I’m going to raise hell on him.”  
“Easy, Paige.”  
“I _really_ don't like that little twerp.”  
“Alright, just go for your shift before you're late.”  
“Good luck with Pipes.”  
I nod. We say goodbye & I watch her walk away. I look at Piper, & take a deep breath, letting it out slowly before walking over to her.  
“Hey,” I say.  
“Hey,” She replies as I sit down on the grass beside her.  
“How's things?”  
“They're okay,” She replies, throwing a rock into the water. “I mean, other than a teacher hating me & being stuck doing an assignment with a kid I hate. How's Felicity?”  
“She's fine. Having fun at childcare,” I reply. “You know you can talk to me about your problems, right?”  
She nods.  
“It doesn't have to be just about Tyler,” I reply. “It can be school. It can be… this thing with Elly. And just cause I’m friends with her doesn't mean I won't help.”  
She nods. “I appreciate that.”  
I smile. “Is there anything else that you want to talk about?”  
She shakes her head as she throws another rock.  
“How's the assignment going?”  
“Alright,” She replies, throwing another one.  
“What about Angus?”  
She tenses up.  
“If he's ever done something, ever said anything to upset you,” I say. “If he's ever done anything that has crossed a line… you can tell me. I’m not going to judge. I’m always going to be here for you, Piper. You're my sister. And if a guy has hurt you… I’ll help you deal with it. I’ll help you-”  
“You can help me by leaving it alone,” She says, before getting to her feet.  
“Piper,” I reply, getting up.  
“No!” She exclaims. “Nothing happened. Tyler's wrong. Whatever he’s told you, he's _wrong_.”  
I shake my head. “He’s right. Something has happened.”  
“ _Nothing_ happened!”  
“So why were you rushing out of the Kennedy’s? What happened to make you cry?”  
“I told you!”  
“Please, Piper.”  
“Urgh!” She says.  
She collects her schoolbag & storms off. I watch her go. I see so much of myself in her- something has definitely happened. Angus has done something. Next time I see him, I’m going to have a talk with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Piper is rattled, but refuses to open up about what Angus did. Can Erin find a way to break through & find the truth?


	86. Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One creates a relationship  
> One threatens another relationship  
> One makes a surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long overdue... sorry!  
> Big things coming!

I swallow hard as I shut the door. My date with Cameron had gone well. So well he’d invited me back to his _Lassiter’s_ room for some drinks. And I can’t help being nervous. Could this end with us in his bed?

  
I turn  & walk further into his room, finding him standing by the bar, pouring us drinks.

  
“Take a seat on the couch,” He says. “I’ll bring these over.”

  
I sit down & try to calm my nerves before he comes over. He smiles as he hands me my drink, before sitting down next to me.  
“Did you enjoy tonight?” He asks.

  
I nod. “Did you?”

  
He smirks. “Of course.”

  
I give him a small smile.

  
“You don’t have to be so nervous, Aaron,” He says. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

  
“I know, I just…” I sigh. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous all of a sudden.”

  
He places his hand on my shoulder. “It’s okay.”

  
****

  
I pull her closer & she relaxes against me. I press my lips to her temple, letting my lips linger. She’s sitting between my legs as we sit on one of the deck chairs in my backyard.

  
“We’re going to make this work,” I say.

  
“Are we?”

  
“I’m in love with you.”

  
“And I’m in love with you,” She replies, holding onto my arms.

  
I frown. “Why do I feel a ‘but’ coming?”

  
“Your sister hates me, Ned,” She replies. “That’s going to affect us moving forward.”

  
“Only if we let it.”

  
“What if that’s not enough?”

  
I put my hand under her chin & lift her face to look at me. “I’m not going to give up on us.”

  
“Am I really worth destroying your relationship with Piper?”

  
“Elly,” I sigh, resting my forehead against hers.

  
“I know how much having a family means, & losing them because of your choices.”

  
She inhales sharply & I can feel she's fighting back tears.

  
“Hey,” I reply, wrapping my arms around her tighter. “Shhh, it’s okay.”

  
She shakes her head. “You shouldn’t be forced to choose between her & me.”

  
“I’m not,” I reply. “I’m choosing _both_ of you. We can find a way for all of us to be happy.”

  
She shakes her head again. I cup her cheek  & she wraps her fingers around my wrist.

  
“This is only going to go one way,” She says. “Be it now, or a week, or months from now. It’s going to end up in heartbreak &… I… I don’t want to do it.”

  
“Do what?”

  
“Struggle to make things work.”

  
“Isn’t our love worth fighting for?”

  
She turns around, kneeling between my legs. I raise my hands, cupping her cheeks as she places hers on my chest.

  
“You should put your family first, while you still can.”

  
“You’re part of my family.”

  
She shakes her head.

  
“Elly,” I plead, my thumbs rubbing over her cheeks.

  
“This is the wrong time for us,” She replies. She swallows hard. “I love you, but… but I can’t do this. I can’t drive a wedge between you & Piper.”

  
“Give me a chance to work this out between you two,” I plead.

  
She shakes her head, tears running down her face. “Maybe down the track we can start over.”

  
“I don’t want to wait.”

  
She shakes her head. I pull her in, capturing her lips with mine. And for a minute she reciprocates… & then she slips away.  
I sigh, fighting back tears.

  
****

  
He shifts closer & I feel like my heart jumped into my throat. His eyes drop to my lips & I can tell he wants to kiss me. His eyes return to mine. He takes my glass & places both glasses down on the table, before turning back to me.

  
“You want me… I want you,” He says, leaning in. “So why not just go there?”

  
I open my mouth to reply, cut off by his lips pressing against mine. I’m tense, but when he pulls back, I find myself placing my hand on the back of his head & pulling him back in.

  
He moans. “That’s more like it,” he says against my mouth.

  
He unbuttons my shirt as we kiss, his hands sliding under the material & rubs over my chest. He pushes my shirt aside & then kisses down my chest. He undoes my belt & palms my bulge, smirking when I moan.

  
****

  
“I’m so sorry,” Susan says as we stand in the kitchen.

  
“It's for the best,” I reply. “I don't want to be the one to come between him & Piper.”

  
“Even if it means breaking your heart?”

  
I’m about to reply when there's a knock at the door.

  
Susan frowns. “Who could that be so late at night?”

  
I shrug.

  
“I’ll get it,” She replies, before crossing to the door.

  
I take a sip of my tea as she opens the door. I see her surprised look.

  
“Ned,” She says, surprised.

  
“Hi Susan,” He replies. “I’m sorry to drop by so late.”

  
“No, it's fine. Come… Come in.”

  
I glare at her as she holds the door open wider. Ned steps in, wearing the same jeans & shirt as before, but now with his black leather jacket with red detail- the one I love. His hair is ruffled more than usual. He sees me & smiles.

  
“I’m… I’ll leave you be,” Susan says.

  
“You don't have to, Susan,” I reply.

  
“You two need your privacy,” She replies. “Goodnight.”

  
“Night, Susan,” Ned replies.

  
I take the opportunity of him not looking to give Susan a look. She smiles before heading into her bedroom. Ned turns back to me.

  
“You should go.”

  
“No.”

  
I raise an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

  
“I’m not leaving,” He replies. “I’m not letting go of another woman I love. We deserve to be happy, & I know you think the way to get that is to not be together, but I’m not okay with it. I’m going to fight for us.”

  
I sigh.

  
“I care about you,” He says. “I care _deeply_ for you. Okay? I’m going crazy because I can’t lose you. Yeah, it scares me that I could lose you. I could lose her too. But I believe that you’re worth putting up a fight.” He crosses to me. “I’m crazy for you. I’m so in love with you. More than I have for any woman. You’re trying to be selfless  & giving me the chance to have the family I’ve never really had. But…” He sighs. “I don’t see that ever being complete if I don’t have you.” He cups my cheeks, turning me to look at him. “Just know that even if I can’t be with you, I’m going to find a way of you & her to get along. Because that’s how much I love you. I’m not giving up, not giving in. I’ll do anything for you.”

  
I see the burning desire in his eyes, but also the pain.

  
“I just wanted you to know how I feel,” He says. “I couldn’t sleep without saying my side.” He gently rubs my cheeks with his thumbs, & I swear he’ll kiss me. He swallows hard, before slowly dropping his hands. He steps back. “It’s your choice now, Miss Conway.”

  
That’s the stab in my heart, the harsh formality. The way his voice breaks. I feel my breath ripped from my lungs, tears stinging my eyes.

  
And in the split second as he crosses to the door, I know what my choice is.

  
****

  
She grabs my arm as I reach with the other for the security door handle. I turn back to her, heart breaking as I see the tears threatening to fall. She stares at me for what feels like an eternity before placing her hands on the back of my neck as she steps closer & presses her lips to mine. I instinctively wrap my arms around her, pulling her against me as I reciprocate her kiss with the same ferocity.

  
Then it hits- _we’re not together_.

  
“No,” I say, pulling us apart. _I’m not letting her break my heart again tonight_.

  
“I’m sorry,” She whispers. “For pushing you away. I thought it was the right thing to do… but I see now how wrong I was.” She looks at the ground. “I didn’t realise how much I felt for you. I thought it was all just sexual attraction.” She lifts her head, meeting my eyes. “Your words made me realise it’s more than that. The amount of pain in your voice when you called me Miss Conway… it hit me hard. It was as if someone was stabbing me in the heart. That’s when I knew…” She smiles a little. “I’m madly in love with you too.”

  
I grab her hips  & pull her in, capturing her lips for a tender kiss. I slide one hand up her back to cup the back of her head. We stop, breathless, & I rest my forehead against hers.

  
“I want to make this work,” She says. “If you’ll have me.”

  
I smile. “You’re stuck with me, Elly.”

  
She smiles.

  
****

  
I sigh & roll over as I wake, stretching my arm out… finding his side empty.

  
“Well, morning sleepy,” Cam says.

  
I roll onto my back, finding him standing in the ensuite door, a towel wrapped low around his hips. He smirks.

  
“Fuck, it’s turning me on seeing you lying in bed,” He says.

  
I smile sheepishly as I sit up. He comes over to me & straddles me.

  
“Erin was right,” He says. “Introducing us.”

  
“You don’t… find it… weird?” I ask. “You have basically a brotherly relationship with my sister.”

  
He shrugs. “Does it bother you?”

  
I shake my head. He smiles.

  
“Good,” He replies. “Cause I don’t want you to be weirded out when I do this…”

  
He kisses me.

  
****

  
I gasp as he pulls me back into bed, his other arm wrapping round me as he holds me against his naked form, kissing my neck.

  
“I’ve got to get up.”

  
“Not yet,” he says, lips brushing my skin.

  
“Ned…” I sigh.

  
“Just five more minutes,” he whispers into my ear before lightly nipping my earlobe.

  
It takes us an hour before he relinquishes & we dress before heading out to the kitchen. Karl, Susan, Ben & Angus are already having breakfast- Karl & the boys at the table, Susan in the kitchen. We smile at the trio before making our way to the kitchen. Susan smirks.

  
****

  
I grab the food I want from the fridge, carefully holding everything in one hand as I push the door shut. I turn & cross to the bench & place the food on it. I pause to tug Jay’s shirt down. With us both free for the day & Felicity still at childcare, we’d had some fun in bed. I’m wearing just my panties & his shirt. I start cutting up the food, eager to get our snack organised & head back to him, knowing he’s waiting in our bed.

  
With it all organised on our plate, I pack up & dump the knife & cutting board in the sink. I grab the plate & our bottles of water & head towards the bedrooms. Just as I reach the doorway through, there’s a knock at the front door. Sighing, I turn & put it all down. There’s another knock as I tug his shirt down again as I turn towards the door, fully aware of how inappropriate this choice of outfit is to be answering the door in. I reach the door & pull it open, surprised to see a teenage girl, around Piper’s age standing there.

  
“Hi,” She says, smiling. She looks nervous. “Um… I...” She sighs, & refocuses. “I’m looking for my brother.”

  
I frown, confused.

  
“He lives here,” She adds.

  
I frown. “Uh… My brothers live here & so do I,” I reply. “I think you’re at the wrong house.”

  
“Mmm no, this is the right place,” She replies.

  
She fumbles around in her handbag, & that’s when I spot the suitcase behind her. She digs out a piece of paper, unfolds it & holds it up to me.

  
“See! This address,” She replies.

  
I take the paper, staring at it. I don’t recognise the writing, & there’s no name on it to indicate who she is. I look up at her, trying to work out who she could be. She smiles.

  
“What’s taking you so long?” Jay asks.

  
His hand slides across my back as he steps up beside me, & I hear his breath catches. I tear my eyes away from her in time to see his smile fading as he stares at her. I look at the girl, seeing she’s smiling.

  
“Hey, stranger,” She says to him.

  
He swallows. “Milly?”

  
_What?!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> With Milly suddenly here, will she cause more drama for Jay and Erin? And why is she here? Also, will Piper confide in someone about Angus?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you loved it! Feel free to comment! :) Or just leave kudos!


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